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Solar Energy

SolarPower Europe – Solar Startup Award 2024 for Solar Materials

September 13, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The Solar Startup Award is an annual prize presented by SolarPower Europe in recognition of the ground-breaking steps that solar innovators are taking towards a renewable-based energy system.

At the SolarPower Summit 2024 in Brussels, Fridolin Franke, CEO & Co-Founder of Solar Materials, presented his pitch alongside his co-finalists. Attendees voted on their favourite projects, and following a final vote, Solar Materials emerged victorious.

Recovering all raw materials – silver key value driver

In his presentation, Mr Franke outlined how Solar Materials’ mission is to drive a solar recycling revolution. With their recycling process, the company recovers all raw materials, with silver being the key value driver.

“Winning the Solar Startup Award 2024 shows that the solar industry really cares about recycling, and sustainability is not just a buzz word. The award is the perfect stage to introduce our recycling solution to the European solar industry and connect with decision makers from science, industry, and politics“, said Fridolin Franke, CEO & Co-Founder, Solar Materials said.

“At SolarPower Europe, we’ve always believed in the importance of supporting the brightest, most talented solar startups. Only with these pioneering innovators can the solar sector grow sustainably and play its part in the green transition. This year’s Solar Startup Award winner is a prime example with their innovative recycling solution. We are delighted to recognise SOLAR MATERIALS’ contribution to driving the sector forward, representing the infinite potential of solar“, said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe.

New Solar Startups website

Three Solar Startup finalists were nominated by the expert panel following a successful online pitch. Alongside Solar Materials, Dries Bols, CEO of Lifepowr, and Torge Lahrsen, Co-Founder and CFO of Encentive, presented their work on stage at the SolarPower Summit 2024.

The Solar Startup Award 2024 jury panel was comprised of Jenny Chase, Solar Analyst at BloombergNEF; Stefan Müeller , Co-Founder, Shareholder and Board Member at Enerparc AG; Felix Krause, Managing Partner at Viero Ventures; and Michael Schmela, Director of Market Intelligence at SolarPower Europe.

This year, SolarPower Europe has also launched a brand-new Solar Startups website, showcasing this year’s finalists and shortlisted candidates, information about the award and application process, as well as previous participants. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Corporate Social Responsibility – Schletter Group releases first CSR report

September 11, 2024 ryansheehanrts

“For us, sustainability is more than just lip service,” says Schletter’s CEO, Florian Roos. “It is firmly anchored in our corporate philosophy. For this reason, we have decided to publish a sustainability report for the first time, even though we are not legally required to do so.” Over around 160 pages, the company reports on its sustainability strategies and measures for 2023, and provides an overview of its global carbon footprint, materiality analyses, social and ecological sustainability, and governance. Following its release, Schletter plans to publish sustainability reports annually from now on.

“We introduced and intensified various initiatives in 2023 to reduce our energy consumption, minimize waste, and maximize the use of renewable resources,” adds Roos. The report takes various emission sources into account, and divides them into “scopes.” Scope 1 includes emissions from company-owned sources such as facilities, vehicles, and equipment; Scope 2 covers emissions from the generation of purchased energy, such as electricity or heat; and Scope 3 covers emissions stemming from the company’s supply chain, including suppliers, customers, and product use.

Internationally recognized guidelines and standards

The report is also based on internationally recognized guidelines and standards, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability reporting standards, and the United Nations Global Compact’s (UNGC) principles. “It was important for us to base our CSR report on internationally recognized practices and guidelines,” Roos emphasizes. “That way, we align ourselves with global standards, ensuring transparency and comparability.“

Also see: Longi awarded for its ESG performance

The preparation of sustainability reports for 2023 is mandatory for capital market-oriented companies with a certain number of employees — but, notably, not for Schletter. However, despite not being required by law to do so, the company has formalized a set of environmental goals to work towards over the medium term. They are:

By the end of 2024
>50% recycled packaging / single-material packaging / alternative packaging materials
>95% recyclable material at the end of the lifecycle of Schletter products

By the end of 2025
100% monitored supply chain (Tier 1)
>50% recycled materials in Schletter products
The reduction of Schletter products’ CO2 footprints by decreasing their power-to-weight ratios (kg of material per MW of installed capacity) by 5% annually
By the end of 2028
100% coverage of the power supply for administrative workstations from renewable or green energy sources at Schletter locations. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

PV – Agrosolar Europe and Fibr have developed an agri-PV system with natural materials

July 31, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The circular economy and sustainability are becoming increasingly important in agriculture. This also applies to the transition of farms to photovoltaics. This also includes the dual use of land for additional solar power production. The supplier of such systems Agrosolar Europe has therefore now developed a mounting system whose load-bearing parts do not require any steel at all. They are made exclusively from renewable raw materials.

High load-bearing capacity achieved

Agrosolar Europe developed the lightweight system together with filament manufacturer Fibr. The substructure has been undergoing trials since 2023. This year, Agrosolar Europe is planning to build the first pilot project before the system goes into series production in 2026.

Materials such as flax, carbon, wood fibre or other renewable raw materials are processed to produce the substructure in such a way that they are particularly strong. The new structures resemble trees rather than buildings and blend in perfectly with the landscape, emphasise the project partners. The spun lightweight construction of the organic material not only achieves a particularly high load-bearing capacity. At the same time, the use of natural materials is reduced by 90 per cent.

Less weight, faster installation

By dispensing with steel, Agrosolar also claims a weight saving of 90 per cent compared to previous constructions. This makes the substructure for agri-PV systems easier and cheaper to assemble, as fewer machines and personnel are required.

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More acceptance for agri-PV

Agrosolar Europ assumes that the use of renewable materials will also further improve public acceptance of agri-PV. “In future, we will be able to manufacture our agri-PV systems from the very materials that are grown under the systems,” emphasises Markus Haastert, Managing Director of Agrosolar Europe. “We are thus bringing value creation back to Germany and minimising dependencies on other markets.”

Also interesting: Apply for the Energy Decentral Innovation Award 2024 by 31 June

Moritz Dörstelmannn, founder and CEO of Fibr, adds: “With our resource-efficient lightweight construction method, extremely long-span, high-load-bearing support structures can be produced. In cooperation with Agrosolar Europe, we can optimally utilise this technology to create sustainable and efficient solutions for agriculture,” he says. (su/mfo)

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