The Technical University of llmenau visit
As usual, we have our breakfast at 7:30 am and we leave the guesthouse at around 8:30 in the morning, Mr. Mullier is going to drive us to the first destination of the day –‘The Technical University of llmenau’. As soon as we know, this is a new destination that even the staffs from BCS have never been to there before. It is amazing that we are all given a nice presentation by a senior electrical engineer and his fellows to start our day.
Ilmenau University of Technology was founded in 1894. They have 6 faculties and approximately 7000 students right now. They are all focusing on engineering – Institution of Electric Power and Control Technologies (IEPC). They have carious department such as the department of power systems, power electronics, electrical machines, lighting and overvoltage protection. It is good to know that they are doing the project of Smart Grid production in Turingia. As we know, they have a very strong lab which is including the key component of small SCADA Applications for lab purpose, energy managing systems, power system simulation, remote protocol simulation, automated management metering system and so on. They are going to improve the real world applications of CHP, wind power generation, different PV panels and especially the charging system for Electronic Vehicles (EVs).
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There are other projects have also been introduced during this section. For example, they were doing a project with 50 Mini-EVs in Berlin (2009-2011). The objectives of this project is to define the correlation between EVs power generation and it charging power, proof the concept of automated demand control in a real world application and the consideration of grid constraints.
Similar project – Gesteuertes Laden V3.0, have also been discussed during this presentation. The objectives of this project is to improve and provide ancillary services through the fleet of EVs, consideration of LV-gird security constraints and develop a Business Model. They are thinking about how to balance the system of power generation and consumption in EVs (BMW), also the profitable issue between the manufactures company (BMW) and consumers.
Finally, the last project that has been introduced is called ‘Mobil mot Stom. In English –‘Mobile with current, 2012-2013). The objective of this project is to improve the ratio of the regulation of charging energy for EVs and analysis local market forecast. For now, ‘User Activity’ is the limiting factor for developing EVs. It is also interesting to note that the fundamental vehicle system is trying to use renewable energy of any given time in Germany now. 16% of EVs can prevent the shutdown of renewable energy production and they are making good sense of using grid.
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| Figure 27-30: Nice BMW i3 Series Electronic Vehicle, with 16 separate batteries (8 year life time), free renewable, 4 hours charging time (can charge it at home), 120 km walkable distance, smart |
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Figure 31: Group picture in front of the
BMW i3 series Electronic Vehicle.
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Solar World (Solar Panel Production) Visit
Our second destination for today is the most impressive global company –‘Solar World’. Once we arrive at there, we meet Mrs Christina, the head of Corporate Communication Arnstadt and her fellows. Mrs Christina is going to deliver us a nice presentation. As soon as we know, Solar World was established in 1998, they commit to build the solar world of tomorrow and today. They believe energy should be supplied not only for people requirements, but also with those of the environment. To achieve this goal, they produce solar modules with premium quality and solar system solutions in Germany.
After the presentation, we are all very lucky to be invited and able to see the production lines of solar modules in their factory. We find that quality is the determining factor in their manufacturing processes. Their actions are designed to achieve the highest levels of quality for their solar modules and this is their corporate policy and the pillar of their success.
Solar quality means their solar modules are reliable, which seems to be a major selling point for customers who know to only invest the best solar power plant globally. A solar power plant is just like another investment that people can invest in quality if they want guaranteed returns.
Although taking photo is forbidden in this area, we are all happy to see the whole manufacturing processes for making solar modules –‘from the source of element Silicon (Si), to the production of wafers and solar cells, to solar modules and custom-made system kits.’ They seems coverall stages of the value chain in Germany, this should be one of the secrets behind their integrated quality assurance.
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Figure 31: Lots of Solar Modules are installed in the
main building, Solar World
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Finally, they rely on German quality standards and a coherent quality system: through quality tests such as Climate Chamber Test, Electrical Test, Hotspot Test, UV Light Aging Test, and Hemisphere Lighting Test and so on, are all conducted after every single manufacturing step and at all levels of their production, very professional. They always take the decisive step forward and they combine expertise and passion to produce the high level quality in Germany.
