CompositesWorld

JAN 2018

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47 CompositesWorld.com taken to avoid damaging the fragile cells during manufacturing. "e EconCore/Vizilon panel holds up well in the laminator, and it is even possible to thermoform it into simple curved shapes, if needed, for a specific customer. If more strength or lighter weight is required, we can specify a more heavily reinforced grade of Vizilon or a grade with carbon fiber instead of glass," adds Goldman. He points out that the rugged version 2.0 panel can be made with a profile as thin as 11 mm. For the military project described below, a 17-mm thickness was chosen to allow for machining of pockets in the EconCore/Vizilon back panels to accommodate recessed elec- trical junction boxes (see photo, above). A microgrid niche Armageddon has worked with the US Air Force and the Univer- sity of Dayton Research Institute (Dayton, OH, US) on a pilot project to show the value of rugged solar panels for military operations in off-grid areas. More than 50 of its version 2.0 composite panels were constructed for that project. "For one of the pilot systems, when UDRI used standard (glass) panels, it took the installation team two days to set up the system," Goldman claims. "With our panels, it took 40 minutes, and the panels were less than half the weight." Armageddon partnered with Sollega (San Francisco, CA, US), a maker of simple, off-the- shelf composite panel racking systems, to mount the panels. Simplifying the Solar Panel e speed and simplicity of the installation allowed quick panel activation. "With lighter panels, rooftops can hold more panels, for greater power output," Goldman points out. And, installations can be accomplished at ground level more easily and quickly, as was the case for the UDRI project. Armageddon is currently working with customers to produce bespoke designs for each installation. Goldman notes that the company has a long-term plan to develop an all-composite rack for residential rooftop installations, and to pursue partnerships with Sollega and similar companies. Concludes Goldman, "Solar, despite its ups and downs, is now unstoppable. It will continue to grow at a startling pace for a very long time to come. Solar will vastly increase the resilience of our power and communications grids, and for the billions of people worldwide who have no access to reliable electricity, it will usher in a wave of prosperity for the people who need it most." Composite enables compact design The use of a EconCore/Vizilon composite sandwich panel for the solar panel's back support easily allows machining of a pocket to hold the junction box for a more compact installation. Glass- and aluminum-free geometry Armageddon's rugged version 2.0 solar panel, featuring a clear polymer face and composite back support, is shown just after lamination. This configuration has reduced finished solar panel weight by 70-80% compared to panels made with glass front sheets and aluminum frames. Sara Black is a CW senior editor and has served on the CW staff for 19 years. sara@compositesworld.com

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