Hanergy Charging Toward The Solar Electric Future!
Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
Harmonious & Collaborative Sunshine (photographed by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
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The aggresive Chinese NEA in the previous post has inspired me to have a closer look at some of the current Chinese effort toward solar energy. Interestingly, some new development regarding Hanergy Holding getting ready to launch five models of solar-powered cars in October this year got my attention, for I’ve had a history of covering the solar car events since 2011.
Hanergy is a privately held Chinese multinational renewable energy company founded in 1994 by Li Hejun (its current chairman and CEO). Its headquarter is in Beijing. It is active in solar, wind and hydropower generation and is one of the world’s largest thin-film solar power company. Hanergy was ranked No. 23 in the 2014 list of 50 Smartest Companies by MIT Technology Review, noting “the Chinese energy company is snapping up advanced solar technologies at fire-sale prices.”
As the market share of thin film photovoltaic panels is expected to decline each year to 2017, according to one of the NPD Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly report, it is not surprising that Hanergy has been further exploring and expanding into other clean energy territories such as auto sector. Considering the fact that transportation vehicle is one of the main contributing factors for CO2 emission and particulates pollution any where on planet earth, Hanergy Holding is likely to continue to have tremendous impact toward cleaning our earthly environment in the future.
Solar Charging Station (credit: Hanergy)
Hanergy was on the top of Tesla‘s list of collaborators for the first PV Supercharger station in China. Two solar PV charging systems designed and manufactured by Hanergy Solar Group (at Tesla’s request), were showcased in April, 2014, by Tesla. Finally, some body has taken up on Elon Musk’s offer of Tesla’s patents for free! Plans for Tesla’s supercharger network in China will continue to roll out in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Tesla’s founder Elon Musk said: “In the future, Tesla will work with partners to build supercharger network. The first charging station in Beijing was built in cooperation with Hanergy Solar Group. Tesla will continue to invest in the construction of superchargers in China, aiming to quickly expand the network.” Elon Musk also noted that large investments will be brought into China for the building of seven Supercharger networks.
The two solar PV charging systems showcased were somewhat different, as indicated in the press release at the time, below (in italics):
The Beijing carport, a mobile carport designed to be assembled and transported, adopts Hanergy’s GSE flexible thin-film solar modules. The Shanghai carport will be a fixed structure, and adopts Hanergy’s MiaSole CIGS high-efficiency modules. The first phase of both carports has been completed.
The PV charging system by Hanergy Solar Group protects vehicles like ordinary carports, while (at the same time) converting sunlight into electricity (via) its solar rooftop. At the same time, the system charges the electric vehicle through its energy storage system. The system uses the CIGS thin-film PV technology, the most advanced in the world. With conversion rates peaking at 20.5%, this technology offers light weight, flexibility, excellent low-light performance and advanced packaging. More importantly, no fixed column is required, which significantly reduces the cost.
Vice President of Hanergy Global Solar Power and Application Group, Ms. Zhang Qingliang, stated: “Hanergy has been actively exploring ways to utilize its thin-film photovoltaic technology to provide solutions through technological innovation and cross industrial integration. We have been working with multiple domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers to integrate solar, and is also researching on energy storage, photovoltaic car roof and other solar-automobile applications.”
As Hanergy continues working with three domestic and two foreign companies on solar powered cars, it will be interesting for us to keep our eyes on what 5-models of solar cars that will be unveiled in October of 2015. With an earthly population of over one billion people, China will provide a huge potential market for future solar cars. The collaboration between Hanergy and Tesla in solar electric cars and supercharging stations will bring forth not only the vehicle of Solar Energy Age, Cleaner Environment, but an important appreciation for multinational collaboration. This is truly the kind of success through Harmonious Collaboration that our planet needs more of on our way toward a brighter, healthier, and better world.
P.S. The English edition of China’s New Energy Revolution by renewable energy advocate and Hanergy Chairman Li Hejun is now available for purchase in bookstores across the U.S. as well as in e-book format.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, photographed, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
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Tags: Beijing, charging station, China's New Energy Revolution, CO2, Elon Musk, Hanergy, Hanergy Holding, Hanergy Solar Group, Li Hejun, MIT, October, particulates, patent, Pollution, PV, renewable, Shanghai, solar, solar car, solar power, solarbuzz, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, Tesla, Tesla Motors, thin film, Zhang Qingliang