The total installed power of photovoltaic (PV) systems has been increased during the last decade by more than 45 times, due to both environmental reasons and for achieving energy sufficiency and security and this trend is expected to continue in the following years.
In the conventional PV systems, the energy management process is performed either in arrays of PV panels or in individual groups of solar cells, resulting in a significant reduction of their energy production.
In contrast to the conventional technology of PV systems that have been developed till present, in this research project it is proposed to develop a system of Smart Solar Cells, each comprising a conventional solar cell that is connected to an Integrated Circuit (IC) which will be designed and constructed within the framework of the proposed project.
This IC will be responsible for the maximization and management of the energy produced by the solar cell, the detection of malfunctions and for the remote (through Internet) control and monitoring of the Smart Solar Cell operation.
The IC will be designed such that it can be used in combination with solar cells of any manufacturing technology (e.g. multi-crystalline, thin-film etc.). The proposed project targets to design, construct and experimentally evaluate a fully-functional prototype PV system of Smart Solar Cells.
The proposed Smart Solar Cell will ensure the continuous production of the maximum possible power by the PV system (thus minimizing the cost per unit energy produced by the PV systems), the optimal exploitation of the available installation surfaces, the reduction of the installation and maintenance costs of the PV systems and the reduction of the PV panels manufacturing costs, since the matching process of the individual solar cells incorporated in the same panel will not be required during their manufacturing process. Due to the innovative character of the proposed system at both the research and industrial levels, activities for exploiting the project results will be implemented, targeting to the optimal exploitation of the commercial potential of the proposed system.
Project Τitle: smartPV – Development of a Smart Photovoltaic Cells system
Project Duration: 17 October 2018 – 16 October 2021
Project URL: https://www.smartpv.gr
Project Framework & Funding:
SINGLE RTDI STATE AID ACTION
RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE
Funding: 972.382,41 €
Principal Investigator (UNIWA): Dr Maria Samarakou, Email: marsam@uniwa.gr, Tel: +30-2105385322
Consortium – Partners:
Technical University of Crete (Coordinator)
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Democritus University of Thrace
University of West Attica, School of Engineering, Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering
EcoVar Power
Habitato
