The rapid expansion of PV capacity in China can be accounted for by the erection of largescale solar parks. Several of the world’s largest plants with an output of up to 2 GW can be found there. By comparison, the most powerful solar projects in the EU are designed to generate around 1 GW, while in the US their capacity is even less. One solar power plant under construction in the Arab Emirate of Dubai is expected to deliver 5 GW of power by 2030. Work on the project began in 2012 and nearly half of the panels have been installed to date.

Potential of organic solar cells

So-called organic solar cells could represent a more sustainable alternative to silicon-only cells. Made from hydrocarbon compounds, they are lightweight, ultra-thin and flexible and suitable for mounting on curved roofs, vehicles or aircraft wings. So far, however, their efficiency of only nine per cent has not been good enough for the mass market. That situation could now change: scientists in Hong Kong have succeeded in converting 19 per cent of the incoming solar energy into electricity. According to Professor Karl Leo, a leading researcher in solar cell technology, this high efficiency value was possible because the materials were optimised for the laboratory tests. However he also confirms that an almost identical technology is already being used in practice by Heliatek, a solar film manufacturer he co-founded with five other researchers from TU Dresden back in 2006.

This German-based company has been massproducing organic solar cells since 2019. Guido van Tartwijk, Heliatek’s CEO, points out that although the quantity manufactured so far, specifically 2 million square metres of foil, may be only small compared to the number of silicon cells, a second plant is already in the pipeline. The manufacturer is currently world market leader where organic solar cells are concerned and has submitted applications for 430 patents linked to the technology, including for the materials, modules and engineering.

Repowering for onshore wind farms

The figures for onshore energy expansion were slightly down in 2022, for which – according to the GWEC – the United States was primarily responsible. Nevertheless, the number of new installations recorded overall was the second highest ever – with 71 per cent of them in the top 5 markets, namely China, the US, Brazil, Germany and Sweden. Global capacity thus totalled 842 gigawatts at the end of the year, and the GWEC forecast anticipates further dynamic development.

Apart from new installations, a process referred to as “repowering” also plays a key role when it comes to onshore wind power targets. “The EU intends to expand wind energy from 200 GW today to 1,300 GW by 2050. Only about 300 GW of this will be offshore and 1,000 gigawatts onshore”, explains WindEurope spokesman Christoph Zipf. Germany alone is planning to build new onshore wind turbines with a capacity of 10 GW per year from 2025 onwards – about five times as much as at present.
However, as Zipf comments, this does not mean that five times as much land will be needed: “There are currently 30,000 plants in Germany. All in all, though, despite the high expansion targets, we won’t be needing more than 40,000 wind turbines.” The reason is that modern turbines are significantly more powerful than older models; on the other hand, they have taller towers and larger rotor blades. Repowering saves time, space and resources compared to building new plants because the new capacity is created at sites that are already established and approved.

Upgrades for other energy infrastructure

BNEF estimates that electricity storage capacity totalling 411 gigawatts will be necessary by 2030 – 15 times more than at the beginning of the 2020s – to make sure that renewable energy is available in the evenings as well as during windless periods. The research provider’s calculations show that the power grid, too, is an important factor: by 2050, 80 million kilometres of additional power lines will be required in order to guarantee efficient transport to consumers. After all, the distances between the plants generating the renewable energy, especially wind and hydropower, and the places where that power is actually needed are often considerable. The present electricity grid is not designed to transport large amounts of energy over hundreds of kilometres.

Materials for modern energy infrastructure

The technologies and their electrical and electronic components must function safely and reliably in the long term, regardless of whether they are used to upgrade the electricity grid or for the ongoing development of energy storage systems or of solar and wind power plants. The thermal conductivity, flowability or reactivity of Wevo’s potting compounds, adhesives, sealants and gap fillers based on polyurethane, epoxy and silicone can be adapted for this purpose to meet individual requirements.

The materials simultaneously provide reliable electrical insulation for components such as capacitors, insulators or sensors along with permanent protection against environmental conditions, including moisture, UV radiation and salty air. As a result, power transmission using HVDC (high-voltage direct current) technology is possible – as well as technological advances related to the intermediate storage of wind and solar energy.

Technologies for a renewable future

These examples are clear confirmation that the energy transition is in full swing. Nonetheless, putting them into practice is, and will remain, a challenge. Innovative, efficient, resource-conserving technologies are important building blocks here – for a climate-neutral future.