Organizers of the Intersolar Europe conference, which is currently under way in Munich, Germany, have announced the winners of the annual Intersolar AWARD. Prizes are presented in three categories: photovoltaics, solar thermal technologies and PV production technologies.
For the first time, exhibitors from Intersolar China were invited to enter the competition this year, alongside those from Intersolar Europe, Intersolar North America and Intersolar India. A total of 3,500 solar companies were entitled to take part in the competition; 93 applied.
The following companies won awards in the photovoltaics category :
– MBJ Services GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany, won for its Mobile PV Testcenter. The solution combines different ways of measuring the performance of solar modules, such as recording the current-voltage curve, inspecting electroluminescence and using infrared imagery.
– SolarEdge Technologies GmbH, based in Grasbrunn, Germany, won for its third-generation PV power optimizer. The power optimizer maximizes the energy yield of each individual module by regulating the relationship between voltage and output in accordance with the constantly updated optimums determined for each module and is now – for the first time – compatible with all inverters on the market.
– Solon Corp., based in Tucson, Ariz., won for its frameless modules in its installation system for flat roofs, SOLON SOLquick. With the product's material-efficient technology, the modules are well protected during transportation and easy to install.
The following companies won awards in the solar thermal category:
– Soltigua – Laterizi Gambettola SRL, based in Gambettola, Italy, won for its thin-glass reflector. The parabolically curved glass is highly reflective and is extremely abrasion and weather resistant. The jury was impressed by the solution's outstanding level of efficiency and profitability.
– Tigi Ltd., based in Petah Tikva, Israel, won for its passive overheating protection system for collectors called the Honeycomb Collector. With the new system, both maximum absorber temperature and long-term collector stability can be achieved at the same time.
– TVP Solar SA, based in Geneva, Switzerland, won for its MT-Power flat-plate collector, The technology used in the collector, which is certified by Solar KEYMARK, is based on a combination of high-vacuum isolation with an even geometry, allowing the heat transfer fluid to continuously flow through a vacuum.
The following companies won in the PV production technologies category:
– Isra Surface Vision GmbH, based in Darmstadt, Germany, won for its Multispectral Dual, a multispectral photoluminescence inspection system. Its innovative detection technology, which specializes in optical measuring techniques, uses various filters to analyze two spectra.
– Pasan SA, based in Neuchatel, Switzerland, won for its a solar cell tester, SpotLIGHT 1sec, which is distinguished by its ability to take precise measurements at very high speeds. The jury praised the patented contact system for its short standstill time, ease of maintenance and cycle time of one second.
– In collaboration with Schott Solar AG, based in Mainz, Germany, Gebr. Schmid GmbH, based in Freudenstadt, Germany, won for a new metallization process called TinPad. The process foregoes the need for busbars made from expensive silver for the rear-side contacts on solar cells.
