LOW CARBON BRAZIL'S HIGHLIGHT

The project we will feature below is implementing a high-efficiency hybrid solar system with intelligent energy management and monitoring in the city of Franca, in the state of São Paulo. The goal is to establish a decentralized and reliable production of energy, with the distribution of renewable thermal and electrical energy to industries.

Interview with Krassimir Vlachkov, CEO of Solery.


1 - Solery joined the Brazilian Newsun and Consustec, and the Green Synergy Cluster association for the implementation of a high-efficiency hybrid solar system, including intelligent energy management, in the state of São Paulo, in Brazil. Could you explain how the partnership was established and what is the importance of Low Carbon Business Action in Brazil in technical assistance to make it viable?

Thanks to the Low Carbon Business Action in Brazil programme and the support from Green Synergy Cluster during pre-and-post application phase, we were awarded to participate within one of the LCBA Brazil missions, which was aiming to provide support for EU SMEs to internationalise their innovative products and concepts towards low carbon transition in Brazil. Hence, we got in contact with an innovative Brazilian company, also operating in the low carbon business, that was interested in the technologies and concepts we were developing. Brazil is a country that prioritizes carbon technologies that has started putting within its agenda climate goals and carbon neutrality. With our partner we were able to seize this opportunity and started to work together in achieving our both individual, but also climate goals.

2 – Please explain how the proposed model of solar combined heat and power systems (hybrid PVT) works.

World’s solar systems technology market is constantly developing very rapidly, especially in recent years, where the market has been very dynamic. In Solery, we have always strived to provide tailored to the specific needs of each user solutions and technologies, that are competitive, innovative, smart and efficient. This includes industrial, utility and even individual households’ cases.

We strive to apply smart, innovative solutions and by analyzing the specific needs of our customers to provide, technical solutions aimed at maximizing the use of the solar resource to meet thermal and electrical needs.

The technology solutions we offer are based on our own designs, but also on solutions available from world manufacturers, including:

· PVT – hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors for simultaneous heat and power generation
· Thermal concentrated thermal collectors and Flat plate Collectors
· Thermal collectors + ORC (Organic Rankine cycle) installation
· PVT +ORC installation

Solery` PVT technology is an environment-friendly and energy efficient technology, which can be embedded in the portfolio of alternative sources of energy to be provided to the Brazilian market.

3 – What are the main differentials and advantages of this technology?

Photovoltaic (PV) cells suffer from a drop in efficiency with the rise in temperature due to increased resistance. Such systems can be engineered to carry heat away from the PV cells thereby cooling the cells and thus improving their efficiency by lowering resistance. Hence Solery offers a Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collectors, also known as hybrid PV/T systems or PVT. It is a system that converts solar radiation into thermal and electric energy simultaneously. These type of collectors are combining a photovoltaic module and a solar thermal collector. The former captures the remaining energy and removes heat waste from the PV cells. This allows the PV cells to cool and thus, it achieves improved efficiency by the lowered resistance. PVT technology has the potential to cover a significant fraction of the electricity and DHW needs in urban and industrial settings. It can serve a wide range of applications, from providing space heating, hot water and cooking, to generating power for lighting, cooling, and supporting the electrical infrastructure. Solery’s PV-T systems integrate existing PV modules and solar thermal collectors into a single panel.

Another main advantage is that system can be coupled with other type of solar systems – PVs and flat plate collectors, battery energy storage systems and heatpumps and has we could achieve a tailored to needs of the end user services.

4 – In which stage is the implementation of the solution in the city of Franca, in the state of São Paulo, in Brazil? What will be its installed capacity for renewable and thermal power generation?

Under the agreements we had set with the Brazilian counterpart, a pilot project for 100 kWe and 200kW of thermal energy will be implemented. Since a monitoring stage of both thermal and electrical outputs, the project could be expanded to 5MW and 10 MW energy. The main idea is to distribute competitive renewable energy to third users (local industries). The system will be completed with smart energy management and monitoring systems, enabling real-time monitoring and data acquisition and smart billing.

5 – Could you share the value of the investment in the project? When do you expect the pilot project to be fully installed?

The preliminary estimated investments are worth 12M €

6 - Please explain the new concept of renewable energy flow management Solery intend to introduce in the Brazilian market.

Our concept in Brazil is to create, through technology transfer, a manufacturing entity dealing also with solar system installations, as well as a company dealing with different type of energy analyses, tailored to the needs of industrial, utility and residential customers.

We would also like to develop a new simpler product with our Brazilian partners. It will be based on the direct usage of DC obtained from PVs. It will serve distribute renewable energy the needs of small households in a smart way. This type of system will be extremely simple to maintain and at the same time will be able to be monitored and controlled in real time.

7 – Would it be possible to gain scalability in the Brazilian market with the high-efficiency hybrid energy system solution? And in other Latin American markets? In this case, which would they be?

The results obtained in Brazil could undoubtedly be transmitted to other countries in the region

8 – Do you already have mapped customers? Which industries have the greatest potential to benefit from the system developed? Which branch of activity and where are they located?

Based on projects already implemented in Europe, we have experience in heavy industry, utilities hospitality sector, hospitals and rehabilitation centers, energy communities, as well as households

9 – Explain the importance of cooperation with the Green Synergy Cluster association for the internationalization of the solution for Brazil.

We have been collaborating successfully with the Green Synergy Cluster in innovation and internalization activities for 3 years from now. It was them who enhanced us to participate within the LCBA business mission and helped us gaining more insights into the Brazilian energy market. And this was well worth it.