Over the past ten years, SunStrom has designed, planned and installed many free-field PV power plants throughout Europe. In November 2010, the start-up of the Solar Park in Frymburk was the largest solar PV plant built by SunStrom to go online in the Czech Republic.

The grid tied solar power plant, which has been producing electricity from sunlight for over a month now, is located near a wooded area between Frymburk and Blatná in the southern bohemian region of the Czech Republic. The Solar Park encompasses nearly 100,000 sqm. In just ten weeks SunStrom technicians installed 17,500 monocrystalline glass-foil modules delivered by the German manufacturer SOLARWATT. With a total power output rating of 4.2 MWp, the PV Solar Park in Frymburk generates approximately 4,200 MWh of electricity per year. This is enough electricity to supply 1,200 four person households annually with power.
[20-12-2010]

Unexpectedly, Hermann Scheer died October 14, 2010 in Berlin, at the age of 66. Scheer was a member of the German Bundestag since 1980. As an SPD representative, he was an influential advocate of environmental legislation and active in championing renewable energy. His visionary zeal for the global implementation of solar energy as an alternative to nuclear power earned him the reputation of a world politician and numerous international awards for his part in the energy revolution, such as the World Solar prize in 1998. In 1999, his “tireless efforts to promote the worldwide implementation of solar energy” gained him the honor of receiving the Alternative Nobel Prize. Scheer, along with Michaele Hustedt and Hans-Josef Fell (Grüne), played an essential role in the creation and passing of the German Renewable Energy Law (EEG) in the year 2000. This law, which provides for the feed-in tariffs in Germany, was key in driving the production of renewable energy in Germany, which has almost tripled in the past 10 years. Currently in Germany, renewable energy provides 19% of the total power used.

As president of The European Association for Renewable Energy, Eurosolar, Scheer was able to campaign throughout the world for the replacement of nuclear power and fossil fuels with renewable energy.

As a prolific author of numerous books and various publications, Scheer’s latest book, Der EnergEthische Imperativ, was set to be introduced shortly before his death. This book stated more clearly than his previous works, the immediate need for an energy revolution illustrated within the global humanistic context. The subtitle of the book, 100% Now: How the Complete Switch to Renewable Energies Can Be Realized, “...sums up his passionate conviction that it was technically and economically feasible for renewable energy to fully replace fossil and nuclear energy within just a few years, if the political will existed. He saw political intransigence as the biggest barrier to achieving this” (Source: www.guardian.co.uk).

Scheer’s untimely death leaves a void in the branch. The energy revolution movement has lost one of its most influential advocates and visionaries. The necessity and feasibility of the revolution is left in the hands of each of us. It is our responsibility to follow his example and carry on his vision.
[20-10-2010]

The third largest solar module manufacturer of Germany, SOLARWATT AG, opened its new facility, which houses the world's most modern fully automated production line and its newly constructed warehouse and logistics center. The investment is part of the company’s plan to double its production capacity over the next few years.

After holding the opening speeches, Saxony’s Minister President, Stanislaw Tillich, and SOLARWATT’s CEO, Dr. Frank Schneider, climbed along with other dignitaries such as the Mayor of Dresden, Dirk Hilbert and those directly involved in the project, to the top of the building for an impressive view of the roof solar array from the visitor’s platform. The solar array covers the Logistics Center roof. The array, installed by SunStrom, has a nominal capacity of 253 kWp and is composed of polycrystalline modules. A portion of the modules are to be used by SOLARWATT’s Research and Development as a test field. For testing purposes, varying modules and classes were installed in the designated area.

A second solar array was installed on the front façade of the facility as a prominent display of SOLARWATT’s products and an architecturally convincing argument for renewable energy. The mounted modules are black monocrystalline double glass laminates with a total nominal capacity of 18 kWp.

[14-09-2010]

For more than a year now, the Technical Control Board TÜV Thüringen, has broadened its spectrum of services to include the inspection of photovoltaic plants based on high quality and technical standards. The inspection by the photovoltaic experts includes the documentation of the plant’s technical details and components as well as a test report on the electrical and mechanical parameters. When the solar power plant meets the Control Board’s strict standards, the plant is awarded the Solar Pass for Technical Excellence – proof of the quality of the plant. The Solar Pass is increasingly required by financial lenders and insurance providers. 

The Solar Park in Ronneburg, Thuringia, built by SunStrom GmbH, passed these quality standard tests with excellence. The Solar Pass, awarded in June 2010, confirms from external sources that the Ronneburg Solar Park, built on the former mining property riddled with shafts and stockpiles from the legendary Wismut GmbH, is constructed of top quality components and meets the highest technical standards.

SunStrom completed the Solar Park for Bosch Solar Energy AG at the end of 2009. The power plant has a nameplate capacity of 4.447 MWp and encompasses three fields and nearly 50,000 thin film modules from Bosch Solar in various sizes and performance classes. The Solar Park has generated over 2000 MWh of energy since going into operation, already a significant contribution in the production of environmentally friendly power. 

[02-07-2010]

On May 31st, the Federal Environment Minister, Dr. Norbert Röttgen (CDU) was present for the dedication of SolarWorld AG’s newly completed solar wafer production facility in Freiberg, Germany.

The €350 million top-modern production facility is not just another milestone in the success story of Saxony’s solar branch. Solar World has provided 150 new jobs in the area and hope to double this number by 2011.

The rooftop over the production hall is used to produce environmentally friendly electricity harvested from the sun. SunStrom installed a 750 kWp power plant consisting of 3,500 multi-crystalline solar modules, which will produce approximately 650,000 kWh of clean electricity per year, saving the environment ca. 420 tons of CO2 emissions.

[01-06-2010]