Oldenburg physicists analyse the energy yield of photovoltaic systems in northern Germany

A range of photovoltaic systems (solar panels) from various manufacturers with different technologies are currently available in Germany. But which system is suitable for which climate? What are the differences between northern and southern Germany, for example? This is the background to a research project with significant participation from the Institute of Physics at the University of Oldenburg, which is being funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (Osnabrück) with almost 100,000 euros. Together with Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, the Oldenburg scientists, led by Dr Annette Hammer (Energy Meteorology working group), want to find out which technology and which system is best suited to northern German weather conditions. To this end, four more systems with different module technologies will be installed on the roof of the Osnabrück "Stadthaus", which already has two systems.
Previous studies have focussed exclusively on southern Germany. "Because we are currently experiencing a rapid development of new module types, especially in the thin-film sector," says Annette Hammer, "comparative studies are urgently needed. There is a great deal of interest among experts."
Results and yield forecasts from southern Germany cannot be transferred to the northern German radiation climate, explains the Oldenburg physicist, "as not only does the solar radiation decrease from southern to northern Germany, but the so-called 'diffuse component' also increases". The focus of interest here is the question of how the different materials behave when it is cloudy (with more blue light) and when the sun is low (with more red light). Contact:Dr Annette Hammer, Energy Meteorology working group, Institute of Physics,
Tel. 0441/798-3545, email: