Saxony-Anhalt rises to the solar PV crises

"As economic promotion of the state, we are offering the local solar companies an additional sales channel, in trade fair appearances such as at the PVSEC. Trade fair appearances are still one of the best marketing instruments for products that require explanation, and the most efficient form of personal contact with partners and customers", explains IMG manager Dr Carlhans Uhle. In hall 3.1 stand D14, the eleven exhibitors used the communal stand of IMG Saxony-Anhalt as a platform, to present their locations, innovative products and competences along the whole added value chain of the photovoltaics industry. EUROGLAS GmbH from Haldensleben used the fair to introduce its most recent product innovation Eurowhite into the market. The highly transparent white glass Eurowhite achieves 92% light and 90% energy transmission, thanks to its highly reduced iron oxide content, with glass thicknesses up to 6 millimetres. This gives an accumulated total energy admission of 91% - and the highest efficiency for photovoltaic applications. The insolvent Sovello GmbH from Bitterfeld-Wolfen, whose production has been stopped since the end of August, until further notice, will use the trade fair environment for further discussions with investors. An overview of the exhibitors on the communal stand: • Calyxo GmbH • EUROGLAS GmbH • Folienwerk Wolfen GmbH • f l solar GmbH • IMG • MaxxContact • Solar Valley Mitteldeutschland e.V. • Sovello GmbH • SRU Solar AG • Town of Sandersdorf-Brehna • Vetro Solar GmbH Renewable energies in Saxony-Anhalt In terms of climate change policy, Saxony-Anhalt has done its homework: and in terms of renewable energies, the Federal State has developed into a prime example for green technologies. In 2011, renewable energies already constituted 44% of the net energy generated putting Saxony-Anhalt in the top tier in a Germany-wide comparison. The national average is around a 20%. Photovoltaics contributes around 4% to energy generation from renewable energies. In 2011 alone, 3,809 new panels with a total output of 448 MWp were installed in Saxony-Anhalt. The average size of the panels is 1187.6 kWp, second place in the national average. Overall, currently around 14,550 photovoltaic panels are generating energy from the sun, with an installed output of around 869 MWp. At the beginning of 2012, a 28 WE solar power station from GERO Solarpark GmbH started operation in Amsdorf near Halle. The modern station, a €50 million investment, provided solar energy just seven weeks after the ground breaking ceremony. The client shareholders are GETEC green energy and ROMONTA who planned and developed the project together, and implemented it with Q-Cells as the system integrator. Accordingly, the majority of the investment sum remained in Saxony-Anhalt. The annually electricity usage of around 9,000 households can be covered by the new plant. In light of the current crisis of the PV sector, Saxony-Anhalt faces great challenges in terms of industrial policy. The state supports the affected companies in SOLAR VALLEY as far as possible, to create new prospects in spite of the large international competition and dumping prices. The focus is on strengthening local R&D, so that new chances emerge from the crisis and the redoubtable Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics plays an important role in this. Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP SOLAR VALLEY Saxony-Anhalt