PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

Solon looking for cell suppliers for world's largest PV system

Plans for a PV system with an 18 MW capacity in southern Germany are taking shape. The project is led by Berlin-based PV module manufacturer Solon AG under contract to as-yet anonymous investors after going through a regional planning commission in which civil servants, municipalities, as well as environmental organizations were able to ask questions and raise objections. Construction is expected to start in July.

Trial run: Up to now, the SolonMover, which will be used for the Arnstein 18 MW PV system, only has been tried out at a test site in Austria's Tirol region.

According to latest information, each month, about 1.5 MW of capacity is slated for installation near the Bavarian town of Arnstein so that by June 2005, it will become by far the world's largest PV installation. Expected to consist of around 2,800 double-axis trackers, it is known as the SolonMover, a system developed by Solon and introduced in summer 2003, at the same time the Arnstein project was made public. Together with partners in Austria, Solon set up a subsidiary, which manufactures the trackers. A pilot version of the SolonMover has been in operation for about one year in the Tirol region of Austria.

In March 2003, at the annual German PV conference in Staffelstein, Solon presented the large modules that will be mounted on the »Mover.« Each will have a power rating of about 550 W, depending on the cells, which means that the huge Bavarian system will require about 33,000 modules. The exact number again will depend on which cells are selected, but that decision is not yet fixed. One or more manufacturers are expected to be chosen from a worldwide tender open till the end of February.

Even most, if not all, of the modules will certainly be assembled by other manufacturers, since Solon's own capacity – expected to be at 16 MW or possibly more in 2004 – already is booked out completely. The company, which up to now mostly has operated as an OEM manufacturer for other companies, now finds itself on the other side of the fence as contractor. In any case, assures Solon's head of R&D Lars Podlowski, Solon plans to maintain control of the production – and product quality: »These are going to be Solon modules.«

For tender information, contact Solon's Thomas Kruppke at: t.krupke@solonag.com.