Our mission extends beyond addressing challenges due to the expected surge of available PV panels and EV batteries for reuse and recycling. SOLMATE will also validate affordable decentralised energy solutions using 2nd life components across diverse business models, which you can explore across the three demonstrators showcased below.
More information will be communicated on this webpage as soon as the demonstrators are in operation mode. Stay up to date with future communications by subscribing to our bi-annual newsletter and following our social media channels [ LinkedIn / X previously twitter]
Small Off-Grid & Plug-in PV
Plug-in PV currently is the fastest growing PV market segment in Germany.
Plug-in PV systems are made for self-deployment and installation and do not require services from external experts. The small systems serve to reduce the amount of electricity a household needs to buy from the grid.
As they are simple to deploy, affordable and small in size, they enable a diverse range of households to directly benefit from their own PV systems.
rocket_launch CHALLENGE
Prepare 2nd life batteries for integration into off-grid products and as extensions to Plug-in PV, enabling owners to significantly increase their self-usage rates.
handshake LEADING PARTNER
SUNCRAFT will develop small-scale, semi-mobile, decentralised solar energy generation demonstrators based on 2nd life components, to expand the range of its portfolio of products for the Plug-in PV market.
AgriPV
In this market, PV panels serve a dual purpose: a) to shield crops from wind/sun, facilitating faster growth; b) to generate renewable energy for the use of farming sites.
KULeuven pioneered AgriPV experiments in Belgium, introducing fields with trackers and vertical bifacial panels in Grembergen, a photovoltaic hail protection system in Bierbeek, and a research site at KUL TRANSfarm. TRANSfarm, a medium-sized mixed farm covering 100 Ha of pasture and arable land, has invested in fossil-free farming infrastructure with a mission to achieve zero-emissions.
rocket_launch CHALLENGE
Prepare Agri-PV setups with a focus on seamless integration into farmer activities. KUL aims to extend TRANSfarm’s energy hub with SOLMATE concreteless, innovative Agri-PV design.
handshake LEADING PARTNER
KUL will design, build and validate the Agri-PV setup at TRANSfarm. Leveraging their experience in Grembergen, KUL aims to benchmark this installation against other newly built AgriPV sites. This project aligns with TRANSfarm’s role as an incubator of innovations, showcasing and scaling up sustainable technologies for the electrification of farms.
Low-income communities
Watt4Ever and SUNCRAFT join forces in SOLMATE to develop a certified, low-cost decentralised energy system for low-income communities. Focusing on the reuse of PV panels and EV batteries, this sustainable business activity aims to provide affordable energy solutions. The demonstrator will be installed at the HE2B-ISIB school campus in Brussels, showcasing the potential of reused components.
rocket_launch CHALLENGE
Create a certified, low-cost decentralised energy system utilising reused PV panels and EV batteries.
handshake LEADING PARTNER
Watt4Ever and SUNCRAFT collaborate as leading partners, bringing their expertise to the analysis and replicability of the decentralised energy demonstrator. The project aims to generate valuable insights for the benefit of more low-income communities, considering replication scenarios in both Europe and Africa, guided by policy advice from the former Circusol project.
