by Regan Slaymaker | Jan 16, 2024 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Everything Installer
(Image credit: INTILION Aktiengesellschaft)
At Solar and Storage Live in Birmingham in 2024 (September 24-26), Intilion will be exhibiting their innovative, modular and scalable energy storage solutions.
In December, Initllion commissioned one of Germany’s first co-location projects with Aquila Clean Energy EMEA, AQ Ampere and solar developer CEC Solar.
The Ammerland II solar park project combines solar technologies and Intilion’s battery storage solutions to achieve optimum electricity generation and efficiency.
The solar park in Lower Saxony has a production capacity of 8.2mwp and is also equipped with a 3.2mw battery storage system from Initllion with a storage capacity of 6.9mwh. The energy storage system makes it possible to store surplus electricity during periods of high solar power production and feed it into the grid at times of peak demand.
The Ammerland II project also contributes to increasing grid stability. By feeding in balancing energy, the electricity grid is stabilized even if there are deviations from forecast electricity consumption.
The energy storage facilities in Ammerland II are large enough to store the electricity requirements of around 7,000 households for 2 hours. The combined solar plant and energy storage park has been feeding electricity into the grid for more than a month, thus supporting local production capacities.
CEO of Initllion AG, Dr André Haubrock, discussed the successful completion of the co-location project in Lower Saxony:
“With the realization of this co-location project, we have completed a pioneering project that demonstrates how our energy storage systems can drive forward the energy transition. Until now, it has been common practice to build solar and wind farms without energy storage systems. As electricity generation from the sun and wind is irregular, there is often a time lag between electricity generation and consumption. In 2022 alone, more than 8 billion kwh of electricity was therefore curtailed due to grid bottlenecks. We are counteracting this with our energy storage systems. They are hugely important for making renewable energy available when it is needed. The project now in operation in Ammerland, Lower Saxony, demonstrates the vast potential of integrating solar parks with battery storage systems for an efficient and sustainable energy supply.”
About INTILION Aktiengesellschaft
TILION Aktiengesellschaft (“Initllion”) is a provider of innovative, modular and scalable energy storage solutions (ESS). The product and service portfolio are particularly suitable for system-relevant and critical infrastructures such as commercial, industrial and power grids.
The storage capacities of the company’s intelligent lithium-ion-based ESS products range from 70kwh to 100mwh. With its range of solutions and services, Initllion is a forerunner on the way to a decarbonised, flexible, and digital energy sector, enabling the transition towards climate-neutral, renewable and clean energy use.
Initllion’s customers include local, regional, and international utilities and energy distributors, as well as system distributors and engineering, pro-curement and construction (EPC) contractors within Europe. Initllion is headquartered in Paderborn, Germany, and belongs to the family owned HOPPECKE Group, with a heritage of more than 95 years of expertise and engineering excellence in batteries.
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
by Regan Slaymaker | Jan 4, 2024 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Everything Installer, Innovation, Large Scale Utility Solar, Storage
In 2023, Solar and Storage Live in Birmingham had its most successful year registering over 15,000 attendees, 400 exhibitors and 400 speakers. Due to the events success, the Solar and Storage Live event series is expanding with a total of 4 events in 2024.
Here is what is to come for Solar and Storage Live in 2024…
Solar and Storage Live London at the ExCel Centre, April 29-30
Solar and Storage Live London is heading to the ExCel Centre in London on the 29th and 30th of April this year!
Solar and Storage Live’s first event of the year will bring over 150 exhibitors, 250 speakers and 8000 attendees to the ExCel in April.
Our free to attend exhibition and conference brings together all the key players in the solar, storage and renewable energy space. Key participants include Solar Energy UK, MCS, POWERful Women and, our title sponsor, GivEnergy!
At our Birmingham event in 2023, Solar Energy UK launched The Recruitment Zone; a purpose-built stage attracting new job candidates into the solar and storage industries. We are delighted to announce that that this initiative will be returning in London.
With the demand for Solar generation increasing, initiatives like the Recruitment Zone are going to help the Solar industry keep up with the rising demand!
Solar and Storage Live Zurich at the Messe, September 17-18
Solar and Storage Live in Zurich will be our first international event of the year between the 17th and 18th of September.
The reason for the Solar and Storage Live expansion into Switzerland is because the Swiss solar market has shown a significant growth in previous years.
Demand for electricity generated by renewable sources is at an all-time high. Growing concerns around rising carbon emissions have caused the Swiss Government to launch multiple policies regarding the development and deployment of renewable projects in Switzerland.
At its current rate, the Swiss Solar market is expected to register a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 5.1%. A range of policies and objectives have been put into place by the Swiss Government to ensure that this growth continues.
Solar and Storage Live in Zurich is expected to support for the growth of the Swiss Solar market and is expecting over 5000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, 250 speakers and 100 start-ups over the 2 days in September!
Solar and Storage Live Birmingham at the NEC, September 24-26
Our flagship event returns in 2024 between the 24th and 26th of September!
As mentioned, Solar and Storage Live Birmingham reached record numbers in 2023 and 2024 aims to be even bigger.
The exhibition space for the event has doubled in size from 2023, allowing even more of the Solar industry to attend, network and complete negotiations.
Solar Energy UK, GivEnergy, and Aiko Solar are just some of the key sponsors already signed up for this year’s Birmingham event!
Solar and Storage Live Barcelona at the Fira De Montjuic, November 13-14
Similarly to the Swiss solar market, the Spanish solar market is heading for an enormous growth with the region expected to benefit from a huge amount of renewable generation.
In 2021, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found that renewable electricity accounted for 61.517mw in Spain, 25.9% of this was from solar PVs.
The potential for Solar energy’s success in Spain is limitless and Solar and Storage Live would like to be a part of and support its growth. In November, Solar and Storage Live Barcelona will be expecting over 8000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, 250 speakers and 100 start-ups over the 2 days in November!
by Regan Slaymaker | Nov 3, 2023 | Everything Installer, Video
It was a pleasure to interview David Hunt, CEO for Hyperion Clean Tech, at Solar and Storage Live in Birmingham this year!
Solar&StorageXtra is the new publishing part of the Solar and Storage Live event series where we will be interviewing our esteemed speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees to get their live reactions to the event and the important discussions within the industry.
David Hunt joined Solar&StorageXtra to discuss Hyperion Clean Technologies’ presence at Solar and Storage Live, diversity and inclusion in the renewable energy space and hiring with best practice in c-level positions.
Hyperion Clean Tech place and emphasis on the importance of diversity and inclusion and assisting the industry in hiring under represented groups into the renewable energy space. David highlighted the achievement of Hyperion where 42% of their hires in 2022 were women. Which, David explained, in a male dominated industry shows the cooperation of their clients and hard work of their partners (Women in Science and Engineering and POWERful Women) providing the right opportunities in front of the right people.
Educating and preparing clients for the importance of diversity and inclusion processes are key for achievements, like Hyperion’s, to be continued.
David Hunt is also moderating a panel at the POWERful Women summit on the 15th of November and hosts a podcast surrounding diversity and inclusion called ‘The Leaders in Clean Tech’ podcast. Here is the link, https://leadersincleantech.com.
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
by Regan Slaymaker | Nov 1, 2023 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Everything Installer, Innovation, Large Scale Utility Solar, Market Reports, Storage
Solar and Storage Live 2023: The Biggest Yet!
Solar and Storage Live 2023 came to a close on the 19th of October and it was the largest Solar and Storage Live by far!
Solar and Storage Live this year registered over 15,000 attendees, 400 exhibitors and 400 speakers making this year’s event the biggest and best on record.
Like the Solar industry in general, business was booming at Solar and Storage Live this year. Alongside the exhibition, 2023’s conference involved a lot of important discussions that focused on allowing the Solar and Storage industry to learn from each other and take the industry to the next level.
The opening keynote by the Rt Hon Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK, discussed the creation of the UK’s Solar Taskforce and how this will assist the growth of Solar Generation in the UK.
The main objective of the Solar Taskforce is to finalise the roadmap to achieve the government and industry target of 70GwH of Solar capacity in the UK by 2035.
“The UK’s Solar Taskforce is a genuinely joint government-industry initiative co-chaired by myself and Graham Stuart. It has eight different members from the Solar Industry, also the UK Infrastructure Bank, the Energy Networks Association and MCS. The right people in the room. We’re going to release a report in the Spring 2024 and that will set the scene for what this government and future governments will do to deliver Solar.” – Chris Hewett, Chief Executive, Solar Energy UK
Across the three days, it was clear that genuine collaboration is the key for, not only Solar targets to be achieved but, Net Zero targets to be achieved on the whole.
An immediate emphasis by Chris and Graham on the importance of collaboration presented a willingness by both government and industry to achieve 2050 Net Zero targets.
One of the key topic points discussed at Solar and Storage Live was ‘how are we going to increase Solar capacity to 70GwH by 2035?’
One key solution to this is changing the way we look at recruitment in the in the industry. At Solar and Storage Live this year Solar Energy UK, in association with SSE Renewables, launched the recruitment zone; a purpose-built stage attracting new job candidates into the Solar and Storage industry.
Sturge Mazzocchi, Head of Partnerships & Business Development for Solar Energy UK, was at the forefront of the recruitment zone where 100 job vacancies were available to candidates wanting to enter the industry or wanting a change of role within the renewable energy space.
Sturge explained the importance of initiatives like the recruitment zone are to keep up with the rising demand for Solar in the UK. With the demand for Solar generation increasing, the industry will also grow, leading to the need of a larger Solar and Storage workforce. The recruitment zone helped highlight the challenge of filling the new roles in Solar and offered these new roles directly to aspiring candidates.
“The reason why we have done it is because the Solar and battery industries are two that are booming, they are also stretching. They are reaching or exceeding the capacity of their workforce that is needed to meet the high growth demands of Solar. If we don’t put something like the recruitment zone on, what is there to accommodate the need for higher employment?” – Sturge Mazzocchi, Head of Partnerships & Business Development for Solar Energy UK
Along with the recruitment zone being a key talking point of Solar and Storage Live this year, the future of the industry was also important to our attendees.
Diversity, inclusion and implementing best practise when hiring into the industry is particularly important when discussing the future Solar, as is allowing these new individuals in the industry to have a platform to become a future leader.
Georgina Worrall, the Head of POWERful Women, explained that the ‘Race to Net Zero’ report, co-created by POWERful Women and National Grid, highlighted that by 2050 the industry will need 400,000 more jobs to meet the capacity of the energy transition. Of these 400,000 jobs, 260,000 do not currently exist and the remaining 160,000 will be those leaving the industry.
Hiring a new, inclusive and diverse workforce is of paramount importance to reaching Net Zero. The industry cannot be stuck in its ways, hiring the same people for the same roles. What the industry must do is increase the level of diversity and create a more inclusive workforce in the renewable energy space. Only then will the capacity for the workforce be reached.
The CEO of MCS, Ian Rippin, added to the recruitment discussion by highlighting the importance of encouraging the next generation of leaders within the renewable energy space. MCS are a part of ‘The Future Leaders’ programme that is in place to identify the specific skills in ‘high potential individuals’ and provide them with a platform to potentially become an industry leader within the renewable energy space.
Ian highlighted the fact that many of the industry leaders in the renewable energy industry may not be in their position when the UK reaches net zero in 2050; ‘The Future Leaders’ programme will aim to fill these positions and encourage highly skilled individuals to take up new leadership roles.
“The Future Leaders Programme is about establishing skills… leadership skills in high potential individuals who we know will be leading the organisations I’ve mentioned (MCS, Solar Energy UK). You can learn how to be a leader and create that capacity for leadership; that is what the programme is about, giving back to the industry… and allow them to make the best contribution they can.” – Ian Rippin, CEO, MCS
These were just some of the topics discussed at Solar and Storage Live this year, all interviews from a variety of attendees can be found on the Solar and Storage Live YouTube channel!
To be a part of Solar and Storage Live London, Birmingham, Zurich or Barcelona please contact Tom Moon,
See you all in Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
by Regan Slaymaker | Sep 19, 2023 | Everything Installer, Video
Interview with KT Tan – The Future of the Solar industry
Dr KT Tan, the Chief Technical Officer of Viridian Solar, joins Solar&StorageXtra to discuss Viridian Solar, reducing the risk of Solar PV fire and the future of the Solar industry.
KT began the discussion by highlighting Viridian Solar’s role in manufacturing roof integrated Solar PV systems in the UK. The Clearline Fusion Solar Roofing System is their main product and a market leader in the Solar sector.
In addition to this, KT mentioned Viridian Solar’s ‘ArcBox’ technology has had an ‘award winning’ impact on the Solar industry in pioneering a focus on reducing the risk of Solar PV fire.
‘How do we handle the risk of Solar PV fire?’ is the title of KT’s presentation at Solar and Storage live this year. KT explained, the risk of large-scale Solar PV fire is incredibly small; with it being more dangerous to use your toaster and that cause a fire.
However, risk of Solar PV is an incredibly important issue and just because the risk is so low, that does not mean the Solar industry should become complacent.
With increased demand and deployment of Solar PV, this increases the risk of Solar PV fire. It is important to negate this risk of Solar PV fire before it becomes too big.
Along with negating the risk of Solar PV fire, KT discussed other factors that will shape the future of the Solar industry. KT explained the Solar industry has successfully moved away from the need of subsides, with Solar now being completely ‘self-sufficient’ industry.
‘It has become a no-brainer’ to deploy Solar from micro-generation level all the way to utility scale level. For KT, the main challenge is now ‘How to best use the energy?’, implying we must be more efficient with energy storage processes.
“One hour of solar irradiance on the surface of earth is enough to power the global electricity consumption for one year.” – Dr KT Tan
Dr KT Tan explained that a modernisation of the energy market is needed to embrace new energy storage technologies. However, market modernisation does come with challenges.
The new challenges that could affect the future of the Solar, according to Dr KT Tan, are:
- Geo-political risks
- Avoiding technology stagnation
- Avoiding unhealthy competition
- Carbon footprint
- Look at the recycling issue.
Such risks must be addressed to ensure Solar’s current market growth continues.
You can find Dr KT Tan’s presentation at 10:30 on Day 3 in the Commercial & Industrial Solar theatre at Solar and Storage Live.
Watch KT Tan’s interview here and for more interviews with Solar&StorageXtra subscribe to our YouTube channel!
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
by Regan Slaymaker | Sep 8, 2023 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Everything Installer, Innovation, Large Scale Utility Solar, Storage
Welcome to Solar&StorageXtra, the official newsletter for the Solar and Storage Live event Series!
With Solar and Storage Live being the UK’s most forward-thinking, challenging and exciting renewable energy exhibition celebrating technologies at the forefront of the transition to a greener, smarter, more decentralised energy system; the Terrapinn team have decided to not only expand the event to new territories across Europe but also create Solar&StorageXtra.
A weekly newsletter will now be published covering all the relevant topics across the renewable energy space including:
- Residential Scale Solar
- Large Scale Utility Solar
- Commercial and Industrial Solar
- Electric Vehicles
- Storage and Batteries
- Solar Technologies and Innovation
The Solar and Storage Live Series now includes events in Zurich, Barcelona, South Africa, London, Birmingham, Saudi Arabia, USA, Australia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and many many more. Solar&StorageXtra. will be providing updates regarding the key speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors from each event.
Expanding The Solar and Storage Live Series to new territories and creating Solar&StorageXtra will provide our speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors with new platforms to discuss new ideas, promote their products and provide thought leadership to the ever-growing renewable energy landscape.
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
by Regan Slaymaker | Sep 8, 2023 | Everything Installer, Innovation
SSE Renewables confirm first Solar project has entered construction
SSE Renewables have confirmed that their first Solar project has entered construction and will be fully operational in 2024.
Located in Littleton Pastures in Worcestershire, the 77-acre site is set to produce 30MW of clean energy as a part of a £12.5billion investment programme by SSE Renewables.
SSE Renewables purchased the project development rights for Solar farm from developer Stark Energy. The Managing Director of Stark Energy, Anthony Brindle said this about the acquisition:
“SSE has a strong track record of constructing and operating renewable energy projects in the United Kingdom and we are delighted to be working with them on our Littleton project. We look forward to supporting SSE through the construction process and seeing the project through to its connection.”
The renewable energy subsidiary of SSE has appointed Spanish developer Grupotec as the civil contractor for this project in the hope it will reach is estimated target of powering 9,400 homes.
The Littleton Pastures site is critical for SSE to implement low-carbon infrastructure and facilitate the transition to net zero, £7million a day will be invested by SSE.
Richard Cave-Bigley, Sector Director for Distributed Generation and Storage at SSE is incredibly positive about SSE’s new acquisition:
“Today is a significant milestone for SSE with the acquisition of our first solar project and shows our serious ambitions in this market. We see solar as a key complementary technology to SSE’s existing portfolio of low carbon infrastructure such as wind and hydro and one that can power us towards net zero.”
Increased acquisition of sites like Littleton Pastures Solar farm allow an increased amount of renewable energy to be placed into the grid. This is paramount for importance for UK’s energy security and achieving net zero targets.
Follow this link to read SSE Renewable’s Official press release.
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
