Kolitzheim: On October 27, the German Solar Prize 2012 was awarded to BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH at an award ceremony held in Wuppertal’s historic Stadthalle town hall. The prize has been awarded by Eurosolar since 1994 to municipalities, companies, local organizations, associations, and individuals in recognition of innovative projects and dedicated pioneers in the field of renewable energy sources. The panel of judges selected a winner for each of the five categories from a total of 120 applications and recommendations. “The prizewinners are important, hands-on role models on the path to full supply from renewable sources,” said Prof. Peter Droege, President of Eurosolar e.V., highlighting the significance of the award.
BELECTRIC received the German Solar Prize in the category “Industrial, commercial, or agricultural businesses/companies” for the innovative technology behind the “sustainable stabilization of power grids through the dynamic provision of reactive power”. “With its innovative concept, BELECTRIC is setting an example by showing that the technology of today’s ground-mounted solar power plants is already in a position to provide reactive power around the clock and to stabilize voltage. This is an indispensable component for system stability in a grid with a high number of regenerative energy sources. Especially in light of the current debate on the cost, it is an exemplary way of reducing the estimated grid expansion and therefore reducing the cost of the energy turnaround by a considerable margin,” reasoned the judges.
“From the very beginning, BELECTRIC focused on how best to integrate solar power in the power grids. With the development of grid-stabilizing solar power plants, we are showing that solar power is on a par in terms of system responsibility with the functionality of conventional large power plants and thereby integrates renewable energy sources intelligently in the existing power grids,” said Bernhard Beck, Chief Executive Officer of BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH, explaining the company philosophy. “The award is proof that our company and all our employees are on the right path; investment in research and development has always formed the basis of our dealings. BELECTRIC will continue to assume an innovative pioneering role in the sector to establish solar power as a cheap and effective alternative to fossil fuels.”
Johannes Remmel, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Climate Protection, the Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation, and Consumer Protection, encouraged BELECTRIC on this path: “We need good examples for the energy turnaround. Nothing is more motivating than actually putting a theory into practice. That’s why the Solar Prize is so important for the success of this project to convert power supply to regenerative energy sources, a project that concerns each and every one of us.”
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.
BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH
Press & Public Relations
Wadenbrunner Str. 10
97509 Kolitzheim, Germany
Tel.: + 49 (0) 9385 9804 -5710, Fax: +49 (0) 9385 9804 -59710
E-mail: pr@belectric.com Website: www.belectric.com