Intersolar Europe / The Smarter E 2024

Trade Fair / June 19, 2024 - June 21, 2024

Intersolar Europe / The Smarter E 2024

Under the motto »Accelerating Integrated Energy Solutions«, manufacturers, suppliers, service providers and project planning companies from all over the world will be coming together from June 19 to 21, 2024, to discuss the latest developments and trends in the solar industry.

Intersolar Europe takes place as part of The smarter E Europe parallel to the three energy exhibitions ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe at Messe München.

Fraunhofer ISE is looking forward to welcoming you at Messe München at our Booth A1.340 in Hall A.

Event details

Program

On our event page: 17th Seminar »Power Electronics for PV, Batteries and EVs« you will find all presentations given by ISE speakers during the seminar.

Our Exhibits

Contact

Intersolar Europe – Home - Intersolar Europe

Location

Messe Munich
Messegelände
81823 München

Date

June 19, 2024 - June 21, 2024

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Our Topics and Exhibits

String Inverters for PV Power Plants

Power electronics, medium voltage

© Fraunhofer ISE
Mittelspannungs-Stringwechselrichter für zukünftige PV-Großkraftwerke. Leistung 250 kW, Ausgangsspannung 1500 V, PV-Spannung 1,7 kV .. 2,4 kV.

One of the highlights of this year's Interolar / The Smarter E at the Fraunhofer ISE stand is the world's first medium-voltage string inverter for large-scale PV power plants.

The inverter on display consists of a DCDC controller and an inverter with 250 kW and a string input voltage of 3000 VDC or 1500 VAC output voltage. The inverter enables enormous savings potential in the area of cable cross-sections, as doubling the voltage leads to a halving of the current and thus the amount of copper. In a PV power plant, this adds up to several tons of the valuable metal. In addition, larger substations are possible in the system, which reduces the construction costs for switchgear and foundations. The high switching frequencies and improved temperature management thanks to heat sinks with embedded heat pipes ensure high inverter efficiency.

More about "High-power electronics and system technology" and the "MS-Leikra" research project

SiC-MSBat Vedium-Voltage Inverters with High-Voltage SiC Power Modules for Large Storage Systems and System-Supporting Distribution Grids

Power electronics, medium voltage

© Fraunhofer ISE
A 250 kVA inverter stack with 3.3 kV SiC transistors developed at Fraunhofer ISE.

On display is a highly compact inverter developed in the "SiC-MSBat" project for direct feed-in to the medium-voltage grid. Thanks to their high control dynamics, SiC inverters can take on grid-stabilizing tasks and act as an active grid filter, for example. Furthermore, very high power densities can be achieved with their help.

Innovative 3.3 kV SiC transistors are used in the 250 kW inverter stack for feeding into 3 kV AC grids. These have significantly lower power losses than comparable silicon transistors and therefore allow the inverter stack to be clocked at a switching frequency of 16 kHz. The high switching frequency enables savings to be made on passive components, as these can be dimensioned smaller. Another special feature of the inverter is its active liquid cooling using a synthetic ester as a coolant. This is pumped through the inverter and cools both the transistors and the filter chokes via a liquid heat sink. At the same time, it serves as an electrical insulation medium for the filter chokes, allowing them to be built more compactly.

The inverter was built and tested in the laboratories of Fraunhofer ISE, achieving a very high efficiency of 98.4 % at nominal power. The design of the device allows the modular interconnection of several inverter stacks in order to achieve system outputs of several megawatts.

More about our services and contact persons for "High-power electronics and system technology"

Model: Biodiversity in Photovoltaic Systems

Integrated photovoltaics

Biodiversität in PV-Anlagen — © iStock.com / McKinneMike. AI generated
Biodiv-PV produziert Strom und Biodiversität auf der gleichen Fläche.

At Fraunhofer ISE, we are researching ways to increase biodiversity in PV systems. Biodiv-PV refers to PV systems that not only generate energy but also implement measures to promote biodiversity on the solar park. PV systems, such as the model we are showing at the trade fair, have a dual function: energy generation and the promotion of biodiversity. To advance this, we are investigating technical adaptations and measures to enhance the ecological value of solar plants to ensure an increase in biodiversity. We offer feasibility studies, system simulations and planning support according to guidelines and best practices.

A biodiversity-enhancing PV system requires specific requirements to increase biodiversity on solar surfaces. In addition to ecological operation, targeted measures must be implemented to support biodiversity. The aim is to provide quantitatively more habitats and better conditions for biodiversity. Such measures can include the use of insect hotels and birdhouses, the creation of habitats through artificial biotopes such as ponds and deadwood piles, as well as simple interventions such as flower meadows from native seeds. In terms of technical design, widely spaced module tables with gaps between the modules can provide sufficient light and water for plant growth.

More about our services and contact persons for the topic "Biodiversity photovoltaics"

Vehicle-Integrated PV Module

Integrated photovoltaics, module design

Solar Cells Integrated into Car Hoods — © Fraunhofer ISE
Coupled with the research institute’s MorphoColor® technology, the solar-active surface on the hood can be color-matched to the color of the vehicle.

The exhibit shows a photovoltaic module integrated into the hood of a VW Polo. The combination of materials specially developed for this application allows the PV module to be laminated directly onto the surface of the hood.

The module consists of five parallel-connected shingle strings of high-efficiency TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) solar cells. This allows an output of approx. 120-130 watts to be generated with the selected module size and fed into the battery of an electric car, for example. The surface consists of a polymer encapsulation film that is laminated to the hood together with the solar cells in a 3D lamination process. The structure of the surface provides better stability of the film on the vehicle surface. The front film has a colored coating and was realized with the MorphoColor® coating developed at Fraunhofer ISE with a relative yield loss of only approx. 5%. The coating reduces the contrasts within the module (cells are almost invisible) and thus results in a uniform image for the observer. A variety of other colors are available through customer-specific coating design.

More about our services and contact persons for "Integrated photovoltaics" and "Connection and encapsulation technologies"

Partially Transparent, Colored BIPV Modules with MorphoColor® Coating

Integrated photovoltaics,BIPV, module development

Farbige Gestaltungsspielräume der Schindel-Matrix-Technologie für Gebäudeintegrierte Photovoltaik hier in rot mit der MorphoColor® Technologie. — © Fraunhofer ISE / Foto: Christian Hanner
Colorful design scope of the shingle matrix technology for building-integrated photovoltaics here in red with MorphoColor® technology.

We present a partially transparent, colored PV module and a semi-transparent PV module for use in integrated photovoltaics, e.g. in facades, balcony parapets and roofing.

Both modules were developed using matrix technology in combination with a colorful design using a MorphoColor®-coated film. The modules show how photovoltaics can be integrated into existing structures in an aesthetically pleasing way, while at the same time achieving high levels of efficiency. This is of crucial importance for the further expansion of photovoltaics in view of the very limited space available in Germany and the increasing social acceptance.

With matrix shingle technology, the solar cells are arranged in a slightly overlapping and staggered pattern in the form of masonry. The electrical and mechanical connection is made with lead-free, conductive adhesives. Matrix shingle modules can be scaled as required in various formats. The degree of light transmission can also be varied. The Marix shingle module was produced on a machine from M10 Solar Equipment GmbH, which was developed as part of the joint BMWK-funded "Shirkan" research project.

More about our services and contact persons for "Integrated photovoltaics" and "Matrix shingle technology"

PV Noise Barrier Element with Micro-Perforated Absorber

Integrated photovoltaics, PV on traffic routes

Noise barrier with PV modules — © R. Kohlhauer GmbH
Solid noise barrier with semi-transparent design and »standard« PV modules.

On display is the demonstrator of a fully integrated PV noise protection element with a micro-perforated absorber plate (MPA) from the "PVwins" project. The demonstrator was developed and built by the project partners Fraunhofer ISE and R. Kohlhauer GmbH in collaboration with Heinz Fritz GmbH.

In contrast to other solutions, where photovoltaic functions and noise protection functions are usually arranged next to each other, here the noise protection function is implemented across the entire surface in front of the photovoltaic surface.

The acoustic principle behind this is the Helmholtz resonator. There is an air gap between the sound-reflecting glass surface of the PV module and the acrylic panel with micro-perforations. This creates an acoustically vibrating system of trapped air. The air in this volume can only get in and out via the fine holes and begins to vibrate. Each oscillation causes air friction at the holes, which ultimately absorbs sound and converts it into heat. The absorption band can be adjusted by carefully selecting the parameters of air gap, panel thickness, hole spacing and hole diameter.

The combination of a transparent absorber with photovoltaics for use in noise barriers or for building-integrated PV with outward-facing PV and inward-facing noise protection is innovative.

More about our services and contact persons for the topic "Integrated photovoltaics"

Demonstrator of a Zinc-Ion Battery with Water-Based Electrolyte

Battery cell development, stationary energy storage

© Fraunhofer ISE/Dirk Mahler
Battery module prototype based on 3D-printed housing for zinc-ion battery technology.

We show a functional demonstrator of a zinc-ion battery (ZIB) with water-based electrolytes on an application-oriented scale. The demonstrator consists of several battery cell chambers, which are connected in series and thus result in a battery module voltage of approx. 12 V. The ZIB module can be used in stationary applications such as home/industrial storage systems, large storage systems, off-grid systems and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

The ZIB module consists of the material combination zinc (anode) and manganese dioxide (cathode), as well as a water-based, acidic electrolyte consisting of zinc and manganese salts. This cell chemistry is rechargeable and uses highly available, cost-effective, environmentally friendly materials. The advantages over other battery technologies lie in the areas of safety (non-flammability of the water-based electrolyte), costs, environmental compatibility and the robustness of the system.

More about our services and contact persons for the topic "Battery materials and cells"