Australia is one of the world’s most exciting and promising photovoltaic markets, which was once again confirmed in the course of a number of conversations with customers during my visit last week. In all probability, after its record year in 2018, the Australian PV market will significantly grow again to 4.4 gigawatts this year. In addition to photovoltaics, storage systems are becoming ever more important, not only for independent electricity supplies for homes but also, in particular, for the power plant segment.

Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden has initiated a worldwide movement with Fridays for Future, which each week reminds us adults anew that we finally have to act to prevent climate change and leave behind a planet for future generations that offers them a livelihood.

Diesel generators that ran for 12 hours a day powered the school located on Lasqueti Island in British Columbia, Canada, from its construction in 1953 until 2016, when a community effort turned a solar dream into reality.

Energy management systems in companies in Nicaragua prevent solar power from finding its way into the utility grid. In this Central American country, no specifications have been defined for the grid feed-in of self-generated electricity. Grid operators fear that the electricity grids could collapse under the strain. For ECAMI S.A., a company that plans and builds renewable energy systems, SMA Data Manager M powered by ennexOS was just what it needed.

Our SUNNY DESIGN Planning Tool now offers new features, providing solar power professionals and system designers with even more options when configuring residential and commercial PV systems.

The Sunny Island battery inverter supports a wide range of on- and off-grid installations with compelling product features—from operation in off-grid areas to home energy management. With the new release, it changes to battery operation even faster if the grid fails.

Plenty of oil, but little electricity. Nigeria may be rich in raw materials, however, electricity supply leaves much to be desired. SMA supports the energy transition in Nigeria’s commercial and rural energy supply with a range of intelligent solar solutions and local training programs. Solar micro- and stand-alone grids ensure sustainable economic development in this Sunbelt nation.

1144 castle church – 1671 orphanage – 1848 windmill – 2018 hybrid mass storage: Most of the sites in Varel, a city in Lower Saxony, were built some centuries ago. But this year another one joined them: An intelligent battery mass storage that stabilizes the utility grid and intermediately stores excess energy from renewable energy sources until it is needed. And everyone benefits from this.

Factories located far away from utility grids depend on electricity supplied by diesel generators. For financial reasons, operators often rely on what is referred to as hybrid supply, i.e., a combination of a diesel system and PV system. The core element of the PV-diesel hybrid solution is the SMA Fuel Save Controller. It regulates the electricity supply to ensure that priority is given to cost-effective solar energy.

The iconic, state-of-the art Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City, California, now includes a self-sustaining renewable energy plant with SMA inverters.