At EnergyVille, we delve into the integration of solar energy (PV) into diverse aspects of daily life, including infrastructure, vehicles, agrivoltaic systems (combining agriculture and PV), and more. By bringing energy production closer to end-users and incorporating it into the urban environment, the transition to sustainable energy begins to take shape.
This requires close collaboration between architecture, building physics, electrical engineering, and PV experts. Our research areas encompass converters, electronics, materials, cell and module technology, reliability testing, and energy efficiency simulations. Through large-scale demonstration projects, we validate these technology and simulation results in real-life conditions.
In the case of building-integrated PV, aesthetics and customization are essential. At EnergyVille, we investigate the integration of PV into prefabricated building elements, such as facades. Additionally, we work on developing planning tools to facilitate the design and manufacturing of these elements. We also explore aesthetic and reliable interconnection technologies enabling large-scale implementation. Moreover, we are developing a module assembly tool that automatically creates custom modules based on input from architectural software. Our multi-wire cell interconnection technology is flexible, adapting to module dimensions, and significantly facilitating the implementation of Industry 4.0 principles.
As light incidence on buildings or vehicles may vary and is not always uniform, new module technologies are required to ensure efficient energy generation under diverse conditions. In our laboratories, we experiment with shapes and dimensions of PV modules, both for their integration into buildings and vehicles. By combining reconfigurable module topologies with our interconnection technologies, we aim to facilitate the transition to the next generation of PV modules.