Download - Evonik Industries

More documents

Recommendations

Info

20 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs elements35 Issue 2|2011 PLEXIGLAS® stands up to glass in photovoltaics systems Green power made easy PLEXIGLAS® is transparent and formable, UV- and weather-resistant—an ideal material for manufacturing ultra-lightweight solar modules in shapes and colors that are in tune with design. Experts from <strong>Evonik</strong> and Sunovation are working together on lightweight-module solutions that open up completely new avenues to climate-friendly power generation in architecture, vehicle construction and city planning. [ text Peter Battenhausen, Markus Krall, Uwe Löffler, Andreas Wöll ] It is slated for mass-production this year: the SUNOVATION ECO TECHNICS carport. Developed by Sunovation and partners, the carport combines design with functionality. Its 8-square-meter photovoltaics surface can generate about one kWp of electricity and cover the consumption needs of an electric urban vehicle driving about 40 kilometers a day. The power generated is fed into the network, and withdrawn again, when needed, via the integrated power plug. Specially fabricated for <strong>Evonik</strong>, the prototype shown in the photo has been installed in May 2011 on the premises of the Darmstadt site. To meet the design standards of this upscale carport, developers used PLEXIGLAS® materials in both the cover and carrier sheets
PLAstIC oR GLAss? This is the question that countless car manufacturers, architects, packaging designers, and city planners have racked their brains over. Often, the answer is pretty simple: Plastic wins out whenever weight or formability is a pivotal factor. Or put another way, plastic is the first choice if the focus is on fulfilling and implementing the design plans of the architect or designer. Interestingly enough, however, this question has played a minor role in photovoltaics (PV). The glasson-glass modules currently in use consist of a carrier sheet and a cover sheet made of glass. Depending on the structural specifications for the glass strength, these standard systems have one grave drawback: Each square meter of glass module weighs at least 20 kilograms. In comparison, PV modules based on PLEXIGLAS® weigh half as much. Indeed, this is why many construction projects fail to exploit the potential of photovoltaics. A case in point is renovating existing buildings to make them more energy-efficient. The existing substructure is unable to bear the additional static loads of the glass modules. Lightweight construction: an attractive niche in photovoltaics Conventional glass modules are, therefore, of limited use on account of their weight. Obviously, then, the glass has to be replaced with a transparent, resistant, but above all lightweight material. This is where Elsenfeld, Germany-based Sunovation GmbH began its work. The company has been devoting itself to lightweight construction modules for over 15 years and has been successful at carving a niche for itself 333 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 21 The Alstersonne, a solar catamaran that has sailed the Alster since the year 2000. Sunovation has installed its modules on a total of four of these catamarans, which are operated in Heidelberg, Hannover, and on Lake Constance, in addition to Hamburg. The PLEXIGLAS® solar modules form a curved, partially transparent roof on the catamarans. Their low-weight, high weather resistance, and formability make them especially useful for overhead applications elements35 Issue 2|2011
Page 1 and 2: elements35 Quarterly Science Newsle
Page 3 and 4: All set for the future If your car
Page 5 and 6: Fiscal year 2010: the best result s
Page 7 and 8: Plans for isophorone plants in Chin
Page 9 and 10: no MACHIne, PLAnt, engine would be
Page 11 and 12: ior of a liquid, which always becom
Page 13 and 14: Influence of the engine oil on gas
Page 15 and 16: Figure 1 Application areas of olefi
Page 17 and 18: Almost 5,000 km across Australia Pi
Page 19: Study verifies effectiveness of con
Page 23 and 24: The façade of the Photovoltaics In
Page 25 and 26: its partners, Sunovation has develo
Page 27 and 28: foR YeARs, It was impossible to ima
Page 29 and 30: 333 particularly since the situatio
Page 31 and 32: Robust, flexible, and fast drying:

Download - Evonik Industries

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?