Kolitzheim: BELECTRIC, the global market leader in photovoltaic system integration, connected the world’s first solar power plant with 1500 volt operation to the grid at the end of June. This achievement represents a technological quantum leap in solar power plant technology. The ground-mounted solar power plant was developed and constructed over the past months. The project was financed by Deutsche Kreditbank AG. The 1500 volt inverter station was provided by PADCON GmbH, a company specializing in state-of-the-art energy distribution systems and plant monitoring. The liquid-cooled outdoor central inverters were manufactured by Power Conversion, a Berlin-based division of GE Energy, and work with a maximum DC input voltage of 1500 volts. Power Conversion and PADCON worked together to integrate the inverters into the system.
For over ten years, BELECTRIC has developed and constructed solar power plants that have proven themselves the world over to be highly economical and efficient. BELECTRIC’s market launch of the 1500 volt technology once again proves the company’s position as market leader and reinforces its technological leadership in the solar power plant arena. The new type of power plant developed by BELECTRIC is the first in the history of the photovoltaic industry to make use of the full voltage range specified in the low voltage directive, thereby setting the new standard in solar power plant technology. The realization of the 1500 volt technology proved to be particularly demanding in terms of compliance with guidelines and regulations. It offers the customer the latest generation of solar power plant technology as well as a significant reduction in costs. The deployment of the 1500 volt mode of operation in solar power plants saves a considerable amount of money when it comes to the cable system and the power electronics. „The company’s expertise in lowering the cost of solar power generation through continuous innovation is the foundation of our company’s long-term development strategy,“ said Bernhard Beck, CEO of BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH, emphasizing the importance of the new generation of power plant.
It is through such technological innovations that BELECTRIC makes a lasting contribution to cost-effective power generation from solar power plants – one of the best types of power generation for the climate and the environment. With the integration of the 1500 volt technology and integrated dynamic reactive power control, the company provides its customers with solutions for sustainable and cost-effective power generation that can be easily integrated in power grids around the world. Today’s ground-mounted solar power plants – just like conventional large-scale power plants – are therefore already in a position to provide reactive power around the clock and to stabilize the voltage. They support the required transportation of power and, as a result, represent an indispensable component for system stability in a grid with a high number of regenerative energy sources. Deploying these technologies means that today’s consumers can already benefit from massive financial relief, for example through a reduction in grid expansion costs. As a result, solar power will become an economical alternative to reinvestment in power generation from fossil fuels or power generation sites from renewable energy sources located at a great distance from where the power is actually needed.
About BELECTRIC®: BELECTRIC is the global market leader (2010 & 2011) in the development and construction of ground-mounted solar power plants and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems. BELECTRIC’s position as market leader is due to the high degree of vertical integration in the development and manufacturing processes. The company employs over 2,000 people across the globe in areas such as research, plant construction, and maintenance. The majority of BoS components – such as cabling and energy distribution systems, inverter technology, control systems, and substructures – are manufactured in house. This unique selling point means that BELECTRIC is able to adapt the individual components perfectly to their application, reducing the costs per kWh generated (LCOE) over the long term and ensuring the provision of reliable and efficient plant technology. Engineers and technicians conduct interdisciplinary research in all areas of photovoltaics and develop innovative technology that forms the basis for the environmentally friendly power supply of the future. Among other things, state-of-the-art power plant technology supports our existing network infrastructure through the provision of grid services and thereby contributes to financial relief in the energy sector. BELECTRIC demonstrates its great innovative spirit, with over 100 patents filed every year. Alongside solar power generation, BELECTRIC Drive® concentrates on the combination of photovoltaics and e-mobility. Further information can be found at www.belectric.com.