Solar PV production equipment company Mondragon Assembly will build a new 150 MW customized manufacturing line for Brite Hellas (Brite Solar) to produce semi-transparent PV panels using silicon solar cells for agrivoltaic applications. The Spanish equipment maker calls it the 1st PV manufacturing line for agrivoltaics application in Europe, in Greece.
A nanomaterials company based out of Greece, Brite Solar owns a patented technology in transparent solar glass for 'ever more demanding applications.' It mainly caters to different greenhouses and open-field facilities.
It has hired Mondragon to build this turnkey manufacturing line exclusively to produce solar panels for agrivoltaic applications. Initially, it will have 150 MW capacity, with a plan to upgrade it to 300 MW. It is planned to become fully operational by 2024-end.
Mondragon says this is globally the only true agri-PV-specific module manufacturing line since it combines the panel assembly process with the coating of the glass panel to achieve higher Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) for the plants under the panel. Brite Solar is providing its patented nanomaterials and deposition method for this equipment.
Using this line, Mondragon says, Brite Solar will be able to manufacture different module designs with the minimum change time due to the line's flexibility and adapt these to the light requirements of crops under the panels. The line will be equipped to produce panels ranging from opaque to 80% transparent.
"It is a very interesting project, both in terms of development and applicability of the module. We are honored to be the first to develop a manufacturing line for agrivoltaics panels in Europe (Greece) combining our tools with Brite Solar's coating materials," said Mondragon's Area Sales Manager of the Solar Business, Izaro Aretxaga.
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