Opvius has announced they have provided The "Climate Pavillion" at the Thüringen State Horticultural Show with "solar umbrellas" to demonstrate the effectiveness of solar power.
These "solar umbrellas" are based on organic photovoltaics (OPV), and are mounted on the external supporting structure of the dome.
The pavilion planned by Prof. Jürgen Ruth (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, bluekon 3) and Andreas Reich (reich.architekten bda, Weimar) and commissioned by the Thüringen Energy and Green-Tech Agency (ThEGA) is a translucent half-sphere and is supplied with shade and electricity by the 20 solar umbrellas.
The solar umbrellas developed from an idea proposed by Prof. Ruth consist of several OPV modules laminated between two polycarbonate plates (PC).
The resulting semi-transparent umbrellas are both light, highly durable and unbreakable. Opvius used blue, clear-transparent free-form OPV modules for the project, based on the Lisicon brand developed by Merck KGaA as an active material.
When in use, the solar umbrellas not only generate energy but also produce interesting shadow effects on the translucent outer membrane of the Climate Pavilion. The solar umbrellas for this project were installed by Belectric PV-Dachsysteme Thüringen GmbH from Sömmerda.
The Climate Pavilion concept includes plans for use after the State Horticultural Show and at different locations - to accommodate this the Pavilion has been designed for easy dismantling and reconstruction. The light OPV solar umbrellas make a valuable contribution here as they are light in weight and easy to assemble.
Hermann Issa, Senior Director Business Development and Sales from Opvius, said, "Thanks to our innovative manufacturing technology and partner network, we can tailor projects to specific requirements as the project in Apolda shows." Hermann added, "In every project, it is fascinating to see how our product appeals to the creativity of our customers and how we at Opvius, can work with our partners to translate this creativity into technical products - this time in the form of transparent umbrellas based on polycarbonate. This project is another excellent example of how architects and developers are supported by organic photovoltaics to unite aesthetics and sustainability."
Dr David Müller, Head of Marketing PV, Merck KgaA, said, "We are always surprised how many new solutions are made possible by OPV technology." David added, "The Climate Pavilion in Apolda is a great example of the successful combination of design and function and we are delighted that our materials have made such an important contribution to this project."