13 June 2012
Bosch Solar Energy AG has released a free new application to support its distribution partners, called Bosch Solar to Go. It brings together all necessary information, from specification sheets and technical documentation to product brochures and video material to support sales, ready to be sent via email with just one click. The new Bosch Solar to Go app is available in German and English and will be released first for the Apple iPad.
The company is continuing to grow and is strengthening its presence in key European markets. This includes the recent signing of new contracts with specialised wholesalers in the field of renewable energies, SEN Solare Energiesysteme Nord and electronics wholesaler EWS from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany as new sales partners.
At the same time Bosch Solar Energy is working to expand its presence in key European markets. This includes, for example, the new production facility for crystalline solar modules that was brought online in mid-March in Vénissieux, France. The facility, built in eight months, boasts a peak capacity of 150 megawatts (MW) and employs up to 200 workers. It is a large modern module production facility. The production lines in the new factory can be flexibly reconfigured to produce five different types of monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar modules.
A new sales office will also be opened in Turkey this summer. Turkey is a highly attractive market, with both a large amount of annual sunshine and growing energy needs. The Bosch Solar Energy offices in Turkey will be focused on planning and establishing turnkey solar parks.
Turnkey solar parks from Bosch with a peak capacity of 50MW are also currently being built in the town of Kazanlak, Bulgaria. The company acquired the rights for the park projects. The first stage of construction, involving 25MW of output, will go online at the end of June 2012. These solar parks cover 1.4 million square metres (~15 million square feet) of surface. The facility features 105,000 crystalline Bosch modules and will produce approximately 34 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power annually, enough to power almost 10,000 households. Moving forward from this point will depend on any feed-in tariff (FiT) changes by the government of Bulgaria in June.
Since 2009, Bosch Solar Energy has also been developing and implementing solar power plants worldwide on behalf of private and institutional investors. These plants feature fully developed technologies and appropriate operating efficiency. TÜV Thüringen has certified Bosch Solar Energy as a specialist for planning, project management and erection of photovoltaic (PV) facilities.
Intersolar Europe 2012 will mark the first time that Bosch Solar Energy has brought together its entire line of crystalline products with modules from the production facilities in Germany and France. The modules are produced in both factories on similar production lines and in compliance with the Bosch quality-assurance guidelines.
Among the highlights are the high-performance Bosch Solar crystalline silicon (c-Si) M 60 EU42117 modules for installation on private rooftops or commercial industrial buildings and outdoor spaces. It is suitable for all locations, offering stable long-term yields and optimal usage of surface space. The high-yield modules feature the latest generation of monocrystalline high-performance Bosch Solar Cell M 3BB C4 1200 cells, with selective emitter technology to ensure a broader spectrum of use and the new light harvesting string (LHS) with a vertical pyramid structure to increase light reflection on the cells. TÜV Rheinland certified the stability of the modules even in the vicinity of the ocean as well as in agricultural environments.
Another new product is the Bosch Solar Rack Air Fix f for framed modules. The innovative on-roof system for commercial flat rooftops was developed in cooperation with Bosch Rexroth. The base frame for the solar unit features a simple construction using a minimum of components to keep the weight down to 11.4 kilograms/m2 including the module. That allows even rooftops with little extra carrying capacity to be safely used for PV systems and for previously unused spaces to be developed. Air Fix f requires no additional fastening to the surface of the roof. Its module construction allows the system to be used on flat rooftops of various sizes and shapes, ensuring optimal energetic use of the available surface space with minimal load on the roof.
You will find the Bosch Solar Energy highlights at Intersolar Europe 2012 on 13-15 June at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre (hall A2, booth 380) in Munich, Germany.
