Concerted actions on PV systems technology and coordination of PV systems development

Objective

The dual objectives are to : 1)
systems projects in JOULE II, and 2)
various concerted activities.

With 14 partners and subcontractors from nine Member States, this project was able to draw on a vast wealth of European PV expertise. Outputs from the collaborative activities included the following: a high precision, low cost solar sensor; portable test equipment for on-site inverter testing; guidelines for calibration, operation and maintenance of PV components and systems; and a PV battery handbook. The results demonstrated the need for low-cost and reliable batteries specifically designed for PV applications. Overall, the results from this collaborative work could contribute to a cost reduction for PV plants of more than 20% as a consequence of improved product quality and reduced labour costs.
The goal of the concerted action tasks is to further improve state-of-the-art PV system technology and reduce the technical risks and costs associated with such hardware. Specific aims are to develop methodologies, guidelines, and procedures useful to current and future PV applications.
The situation in Europe is that many plants were installed by skilled and non-skilled designers, manufacturers, and institutes. This has resulted in small incremental improvements, many repetitions, and often diverging results when many developments should be converging into specific methodologies, criteria, and procedures.
The main reasons for a European Level Undertaking are to:
1) minimize duplications in technology development work in CEC projects, 2) produce consensus results, and
3) pool the resources which will yield the best results quickly. The expected Results of the project are,
1) Reduction in system costs, improvements in plant efficiency and reliability,
2) battery lifetime, and
3) new techniques in plant monitoring and diagnostics.
These advances will permit accelerated penetration and integration of PV technology in Europe.
Possible Applications. All system types will benefit:
1) stand-alone PV/battery and PV/hybrid, and
2) grid-connected.
Other technologies which can use the results are telecommunication and uninterruptible power supplies for computer facilities.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electronic engineering › sensors
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › renewable energy › solar energy › photovoltaic

Programme(s)

• FP3-JOULE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 030404 - Stand alone PV systems

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

WIRTSCHAFT UND INFRASTRUKTUR GMBH & CO PLANUNGS KG

Address

Sylvensteinstrasse 2
Muenchen
Germany

Links

Participants (5)

ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS

France

Address

Rue Claude Daunesse, Les Lucioles
06904 Sophia Antipolis

CONPHOEBUS SCRL - ISTITUTO DI RICERCHE PER LE ENERGIE RINNOVABILI E IL RISPARMIO ENERGETICO

Italy

Address

Passo Martino Zona Industriale
95030 Catania, Piano D'arci

FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.*

Germany

Address

Heidenhofstrasse 2
79110 Freiburg (In Breisgau)

Hyperion Energy Systems Ltd.

Ireland

Address

Main Street
120 Watergrasshill

National University of Ireland, Cork

Ireland

Address

Prospect Row
30 Cork