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One of the herd's 150 members, making itself at home

Germany – a solar farm rises to deer height

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In Saarland, Perigus Energy raised its modules just high enough for the estate's antlered residents to pass safely beneath them, with early results showing the herd has settled in well.

Franz-Josef Feilmeier (right) is an expert in energy storage

Fenecon: large storage systems – made in Europe

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CEO Talk: Growing demand for large-scale storage systems is working in favour of European suppliers. Safety and security are becoming increasingly important. What role does service play, from commissioning through the entire lifespan of the storage system? Fenecon's CEO shares his view.

Mirror versus matt: ZRM+ in close-up

Megasol in-roof modules now glare-free as standard

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Level Up, the Swiss manufacturer's roof-integrated photovoltaic system, now comes with the ZRM+ module surface across the board, fully integrated and certified to a strict luminance threshold.

Assembly –  the part "Made in Europe" is supposed to guarantee

European regions and industry push for tougher "Made in Europe" rules

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A Brussels coalition of regional governments, manufacturers and trade unions is calling for tougher local-content rules in the EU's planned Industrial Accelerator Act.

CEO Esref Deniz (left) lays out the ENTEGRO strategy

ENTEGRO PV SYSTEMS: one idea ahead

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CEO Talk: ENTEGRO develops, plans and implements PV projects for companies and investors. Driven by the ambition to always be one idea better, the company consistently pushes innovation, efficiency and project quality. What this means in practice, and how it translates into real economic advantages, is revealed in a behind-the-scenes look.

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What is photovoltaics?

Photovoltaics (PV) refers to the generation of electrical energy from sunlight. At the heart of this process are the solar-active semiconductors known as solar cells, which capture sunlight and convert it directly into electricity.

From a technical standpoint, a PV system or solar installation functions as a generator. Here, individual solar cells are combined into a solar module, which is protected from the elements. These modules are then assembled into a larger solar generator, which can be mounted on rooftopsfaçadesopen ground or specially designed structures. The electricity generated is direct current (DC), which is converted into alternating current (AC) by an inverter. This AC power can be used directly on site or fed into the public grid via the building’s connection. The electricity is typically supplied to the local utility or grid operator.

Larger PV systems installed on open land are often called solar parks. These feed power into the grid via dedicated transformers and switchgear. In many countries special Acts and regulations govern remuneration for solar power, whether via feed-in tariffs or market premiums for direct sales to third parties.

Self-consumption can be increased by using solar power for heating waterroom heating, air conditioning or refrigeration. Battery storage systems help by storing surplus solar electricity for later use. These so-called solar batteries improve system reliability, especially when solar output dips.

Not all incoming sunlight is converted into electricity. The conversion rate depends on the intensity and wavelength of the incoming light spectrum. This ratio between usable electrical output and the maximum available solar radiation is known as efficiency.

The performance of a solar generator or storage system is defined by its output. When multiplied by the number of sunshine hours, this gives the solar yield – the amount of electricity generated per day, month or year. In addition to charging and discharging power, solar batteries are also rated by their capacity, or the amount of energy they can store. Power is measured in kilowatts (kW) or megawatts (MW), while energy and yield are expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or megawatt-hours (MWh). (HS)