News
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all members of the press and media, and we are delighted that you are taking an interest in F&S solar and its projects. On this and on the following pages, you will find all information, in concise form, about the company and its current projects. You can access video files, catalogues, brochures and other files, which you are also welcome to download. If using photographs and quotations, we would kindly ask that you acknowledge the sources. We would also be delighted if you would include a link to our website when reporting on F&S solar (www.fs-sun.com).
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The president of the Dominican Republic opens the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean
19. Juli 2018
The president of the Dominican Republic Danilo Medina Sanchez, opens the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean, the solar park Montecristi, with a capacity of 58MW. In the north-west of the Dominican Republic, near the Haitian border, a gigantic solar power plant developed on an area of 2 million…
Mehr anzeigenThe president of the Dominican Republic Danilo Medina Sanchez, opens the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean, the solar park Montecristi, with a capacity of 58MW.
In the north-west of the Dominican Republic, near the Haitian border, a gigantic solar power plant developed on an area of 2 million square meters during the last 6 months, which will provide for more than 50,000 households with clean energy in the future. 215,000 modules were installed on the site, which has a size of more than 280 football fields, and its power is fed into the island's high-voltage grid via inverters and a newly-built substation.
The advantage for the Caribbean island nation is enormous. Currently, more than half of the electricity is produced by oil-fired power plants. The method is ineffective, ecologically critical and directly linked to the price of oil. The solar power produced will be supplied by a corresponding electricity supply contract between the state energy supplier and the solar park operator over the next 20 years at a fixed price that is already below the current electricity market price. The Montecristi solar park will make a major contribution to the development of a sustainable energy supply and will save around 108,000 tons of CO2 per year. In the future, the sun-drenched country will not only be able to benefit from the sun for tourism, but will also adapt its electricity production more and more to clean and safe solar energy.
The power plant was developed, planned and built by the German solar specialist F&S solar, which is located in Euskirchen, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The solar project developer has its own office in the Dominican Republic since 2016 and employs 5 people there, who especially take care of the local development steps.
F&S solar is also on board as an investor and has contributed 35% of the equity. The remaining 65% was invested by Blue Elephant Energy AG (BEE), a longstanding close financial partner of F&S solar. The debt was made available via European development banks, headed by the DEG in Cologne, a wholly owned subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe. Also involved are the Dutch FMO and the Belgian BIO. In addition, DEG examined and supervised the entire project in accordance with the World Bank's environmental and social standards. With a total investment of USD 87 million, the project is one of the leading German investments in the Caribbean.
Further Details:
For the solar park modules of the manufacturer Astronergy were supplied, which produces among other things also in Frankfurt (Oder). Like the SMA inverters, the substructure comes from Germany, from the Bavarian specialist Schletter. For cabling work, F&S solar also selected a German partner, Oliver Oepen GmbH. Not without good reason, as Managing Director Georg Schmiedel emphasizes: "It is very important to us that we bring German partners on board, with whom we have a long and trusting relationship." In the Dominican Republic, this means a special project with development expertise and high-quality Components and financing originated from Germany.
The park was constructed step by step in blocks of 2.5 MW according to the input power of the SMA inverter stations. The substation was built by ABB, the feed-in takes place directly on the site of the solar park into the high voltage level. The relatively constant climate throughout the year ensures consistent, predictable yields. Only in the difficult phase, the autumnal hurricane season, the project benefits from its geographical location in the northwest of the country. The area where the solar power plant was built is well protected from the effects of hurricanes by nearby mountain ranges. From a logistical point of view, the Montecristi region was also advantageous, because from the deep sea ports of Haina and Caucedo the components reached their destination in a relatively short time.About F&S solar
F&S solar concept GmbH, with its headquarters in Euskirchen in Germany, is an international solar park developer with subsidiaries in Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic. So far, the company has already designed and built more than 1,500 PV systems and solar parks - especially in Germany and other European markets. With more than 50 employees in the corporate headquarters, F&S solar offers not only the planning and restoration of PV systems, but also monitoring, maintenance and further services. http://fs-sun.de/
About Blue Elephant Energy AG
Blue Elephant Energy AG in Hamburg supports the expansion of solar and wind energy as an investor and operator of renewable power plants. There are currently 17 solar and five wind parks with a total output of more than 250 MW in the portfolio. BEE combines in their investments sustainable energy with safe and predictable income. This is guaranteed by the close cooperation with long-term partners in the field of project development, which also includes F&S solar. http://www.blueelephantenergy.com/de/
About the DEG
DEG, a fully owned subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe, supports private companies in projects in developing and emerging countries. As a financing partner with 14 locations worldwide, an international network and good understanding of the target markets, DEG supports, among other things, projects in the field of renewable energies. Project partners can rely on long-term and flexible financing solutions that are designed for the entire duration of the projects. In 2017 DEG's financing new business had a total volume of approx. € 1.55 billion. www.deginvest.de/Internationale-Finanzierung/DEG/
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Twice Awarded: SMA Wins ees AWARD and smarter E AWARD at Intersolar 2018
21. Juni 2018
The ennexOS energy management platform by SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) has won the smarter E AWARD given out for the first time at Intersolar Europe 2018 in Munich. The innovative IoT platform for cross-sector energy management prevailed in the Smart Renewable Energy category. ennexOS combines heating,…
Mehr anzeigenThe ennexOS energy management platform by SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) has won the smarter E AWARD given out for the first time at Intersolar Europe 2018 in Munich. The innovative IoT platform for cross-sector energy management prevailed in the Smart Renewable Energy category. ennexOS combines heating, climate control, electricity and mobility sectors. The Sunny Central Storage won this year’s ees AWARD in the “Electrical Energy Storage” category. The battery inverter guarantees maximum grid stability in large-scale storage applications and delivers grid-quality solar power to off-grid regions.
“Two major awards at the same time is a great honor for SMA and a confirmation of our high level of innovation. Once again, it has become clear that SMA can provide the right solutions for the increasingly decentralized and digital energy supply of the future,” said Dr. Jürgen Reinert, SMA Chief Technology Officer. “With the energy management platform ennexOS and the Sunny Central Storage, the jury has honored two solutions that pave the way for all users of energy toward the renewable energy supply of tomorrow.”
Easy connection of energy sectors
“ennexOS enables the combination of all energy flows in an energy system and takes into account electric power generators and appliances, battery storage systems as well as thermal components, such as heating and heat pumps,” said Maik Brüschke, Head of Product Group Solutions Residential & Commercial at SMA. “With standard industry protocols and the convenient application via apps in the future, the energy management platform allows for easily connecting all sectors. Thanks to modular expandability of ennexOS, our customers will be able to use their energy more independently, efficiently and flexibly in the future while significantly reducing costs and creating new business models.”Seamless integration of renewable energies
The Sunny Central Storage is used in large-scale storage power plants and makes a key contribution to the seamless integration of renewable energies into utility grids. As part of the SMA storage solution for large-scale PV applications, the battery inverter ensures the intelligent, grid-connected integration of megawatt-class storage systems with and without PV systems worldwide. In the last twelve months alone, SMA has supplied Sunny Central Storage battery inverters with a total capacity of more than 400 MW in storage projects in the United Kingdom, California, Germany, South Korea and the Caribbean.Everything about the ees AWARD winner Sunny Central Storage and the smarter E AWARD winner IoT ennexOS energy management platform, the new Sunny Portal powered by ennexOS and the Sunny Design Pro system planning program can be found on our Website and in Hall 3, Booth B3.210 at Intersolar Europe in Munich until June 22, 2018.
About SMA
The SMA Group with sales of around €900 million in 2017 is a global leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. SMA offers a wide range of products and solutions that allow for high energy yields for residential and commercial PV systems and large-scale PV power plants. To increase PV self-consumption efficiently, SMA system technology can easily be combined with different battery technologies. Intelligent energy management and digital energy solutions, comprehensive services and operational management of PV power plants round off SMA’s range. The company is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, is represented in 20 countries and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide, including 500 working in Development. SMA’s multi-award-winning technology is protected by more than 1,000 patents and utility models. Since 2008, the Group’s parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and is currently the only company in the solar industry that is listed in the TecDAX index.
SMA Solar Technology AG
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
GermanyHead of Corporate Communications:
Anja Jasper
Tel. +49 561 9522-2805
Presse@SMA.dePress Contact:
Susanne Henkel
Manager Corporate Press
Tel. +49 561 9522-1124
Fax +49 561 9522-421400
Presse@SMA.de
Disclaimer:
This press release serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the “Company”) or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the “SMA Group”) nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.This press release can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments.
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F&S solar finalises 15 MW Power Plant near Amsterdam
26. April 2018
In direct proximity to the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, a 15 MW solar park has been connected to the grid. The German project planner F&S solar was able to realize the project with the investor Blue Elephant Energy AG from Hamburg and a local company which will manage the electricity and market it via…
Mehr anzeigenIn direct proximity to the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, a 15 MW solar park has been connected to the grid. The German project planner F&S solar was able to realize the project with the investor Blue Elephant Energy AG from Hamburg and a local company which will manage the electricity and market it via a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
The Dutch model for solar parks intents a combination of a funding with the SDE+ program and marketing via a PPA. The conclusion of the contract with the PPA partner is a prerequisite for a surplus in the tendering process. Then the program secures the economic success of a solar project over a period of 15 years by offsetting the difference between the achievable market price and the surcharge value. Tim Kallas, a member of the Executive Board of Blue Elephant Energy AG, sees that the Dutch compensation system offers sustainable and future-orientated opportunities.
Two years ago, F&S solar became aware of the potential of the green area near Schiphol's runway. The lessor of the site "Groene Hoek" in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer is the Schiphol Area Development Company (SADC). The demanding planning work, in which the airport was intensively involved, began in autumn 2016. Georg Schmiedel, CEO of F&S solar, still remembers the special features in the vicinity of an airfield: "As a developer, we had to prove that the orientation of the module tables does not glare the air traffic due to reflected sunlight at any time of the day." Initially expressed concerns about possible adverse effects were proved groundless: the PV park does not disturb the planes, on the other hand, landing or starting planes shade the modules only to a small extent. The only restriction in the later operation: Drones will not be allowed to fly above "Groene Hoek" to take thermographic images of the power plant.
Thin-film is the technology of choice
Schiphol receives thin-film modules. Crucial for this product, according to CTO Uwe Czypiorski, was the high efficiency and favourable low-light behaviour of the modules, which benefits the yield at this location. The new owner, Blue Elephant Energy AG from Hamburg, calculates more than 1,050 kWh per kWp of installed capacity yearly - this is a fairly high value for northwest European conditions. "In addition, US products are not burdened by minimum import prices and are currently cheap because of the dollar exchange rate," emphasizes Czypiorski. Almost 125,000 modules are installed. The high number based on 15 MW total power is explained by the relatively small size of the type used.
The project was particularly demanding because of the condition of the soil: the area is below sea level, and during the winter construction period, the ground was softened by rain and snow. Plant construction required special solutions based on many years of experience: "For example, we had to set more and longer poles to get the necessary solidity in the ground," states Czypiorski. The fact that only hot-dip galvanized poles - here 7,700 in number - are rammed with sufficient layer thicknesses, is standard at F&S solar anyway.
30 years lifespan
The operating time of an F&S solar project has now been extended to 30 years, accordingly, "Groene Hoek" laid specially sheathed cables and cables whose suitability for damp soil has been proven in tests. 32 km of DC main cables and 350 km of string cables connect the modules to six SMA central inverter stations MVPS 2200 of the latest generation. The solar park, which is now connected to the grid, will, therefore, see some of the new generations of aircraft starting and landing during its operating time.
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F&S solar is building the biggest Solar Power Plant (116MW) in the Caribbean
28. März 2018
F&S solar is building the biggest Solar Power Plant (116MW) in the Caribbean Euskirchen/Santo Domingo, 19.03.2018. As Europe is still shivering in the wintry cold weather, in the Caribbean there is the best weather for an open field construction site: During a visit in the Dominican Republic in March,…
Mehr anzeigenF&S solar is building the biggest Solar Power Plant (116MW) in the Caribbean
Euskirchen/Santo Domingo, 19.03.2018. As Europe is still shivering in the wintry cold weather, in the Caribbean there is the best weather for an open field construction site: During a visit in the Dominican Republic in March, F&S solar with investors and banks got an impression on the current construction progress of the first 58 MW section of the solar park Montecristi. This section has already been half built and will be connected to the grid in June 2018.
By the summer of 2019, the project partners expect the finalisation of the whole 116 MW solar park. For the first 58 MW, all contracts were signed in 2017: For the commercializing of the solar energy, F&S solar was able to negotiate a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a national energy provider for a duration of 20 years and, in addition, a contract for operation and maintenance. The German project developer is also part of the project as in investor and provides 35% of the equity capital. The remaining 65% is invested the company Blue Elephant Energy AG (BEE) from Hamburg, a years-long close partner of the F&S solar, that was represented at the site visit by board member Tim Kallas. BEE currently operates 17 solar and five wind parks with a total output of more than 250 MW. The loan capital is provided by European development banks, mainly in charge of the DEG in Cologne, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the KfW banking group. Also involved are the Dutch FMO and the Belgian BIO. Furthermore, the DEG will check the entire project progress with regard to the ecological and social standards of the World Bank.
German know-how forms the solid basis of the large-scale project
For the first construction section, about 215,000 modules will be delivered by the manufacturer Astronergy, which also produces in Frankfurt (Oder). Like the SMA inverters, the substructure also comes from Germany. For the cabling work, F&S solar also chose a German partner, Oliver Oepen GmbH. No without reason, as Managing Director Georg Schmiedel underlines: “It is very important for us bringing German partners on board, with whom we have long-term and trusting relationships”. Therefore, a special project in the Dominican Republic with developing competency, high-valued components and financing from Germany was created.
The park will be built step by step in blocks of 2.5 MW according to the input power of the SMA inverter stations. The substation will be constructed by ABB and the feed-in will take place directly on the site of the solar park into the high-voltage level. The relatively constant climate throughout the year favors the work, which is running on full speed, states CTO Uwe Czypiorski: "In the only difficult phase, the autumnal hurricane season, where the project benefits from its geographical location in the northwest of the country. The area where we are building is well protected from the effects of hurricanes by nearby mountain chain." Moreover, from a logistical point of view, the Montecristi region is also advantageous, as the components reach their destination in a very short time from the deep sea ports of Haina and Caucedo.
Caribbean is ideal for renewable energy
As Georg Schmiedel reports, the Dominican Republic is a particularly attractive market for solar projects in many ways: "There is not only a constant high level of solar radiation, but also huge areas that have not been used practically, not even by agriculture." At the same time the participating institutions were very well prepared for the topic of renewable energies and preferred solar energy in the modification and expansion of the energy supply system: "Energy providers and grid operators recognize the great advantages of decentralized solar parks distributed over the country for the security of supply and the stability of the grid," emphasizes Schmiedel. “The view on solar power is very different than in Central Europe."About F&S solar
F&S solar concept GmbH, with its headquarters in Euskirchen, is an international solar park developer with subsidiaries in Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic. So far, the company has already designed and built more than 1,500 PV systems and solar parks - especially in Germany and other European markets. With more than 50 employees in the corporate headquarters, F&S solar offers not only the planning and restoration of PV systems, but also monitoring, maintenance and further services. www.fs-sun.com
About Blue Elephant Energy AG
The Hamburg Blue Elephant Energy AG supports the expansion of solar and wind energy as an investor and operator of renewable power plants. There are currently 17 solar and five wind parks with a total output of more than 250 MW in the portfolio. BEE combines in their investments sustainable energy with safe and predictable income. This is guaranteed by the close cooperation with long-term partners in the field of project development, which also includes F&S solar. www.blueelephantenergy.com/de
About the DEG
For 55 years, the DEG has been a reliable partner to private companies that are active in developing and emerging nations. Their customers receive tailored solutions in financing, support programs and individual consultation. Therefore, they can develop successfully over the long term, create local added value and skilled jobs. With a portfolio of around 8.3 € billion in more than 80 countries, DEG is one of the largest development financiers for the private sector.
Find out more: www.deginvest.de
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