Emilia 3 at the World Solar Challenge

The vehicle made by Onda Solare is preparing to attend the World Solar Challenge 2013 and Solbian panels will be there too.

Excerpt from article by Roberto Rizzo from Corriere.it

The space is limited and the demand for high efficiencies have led designers to use solar technologies born out of a collaboration between Professor Marco Bianucci (CNR Ismar - Institute of Marine Sciences) and Giovanni Soldini, already widely used by the sailor with success in his crossings.

391 solar cells produced in the United States and made of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon have been used, they provide 23% efficiency against the average 16-18% of typical cells on the market. The spacing between the cells and between the modules have been reduced to a minimum and the traditional front glass is absent, but the cells are enclosed between layers of plastic materials: ETFE (a transparent ultra-thin film of polyvinyl fluoride which resists weathering) and the TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) in place of the more traditional ethylene vinyl acetate. This ensures that the modules can be bent to follow the shape of the car.

«We are able to produce curved modules also because the cells we use are ultra-thin (135 microns against 180-200 microns of the traditional ones)», says Luca Bonci of Solbian Energie Alternative, the Italian company that has developed the modules at the Avigliana factory (Turin). «We have dealt in particular with the rolling process, which consists in bonding the different layers of which is composed the module at high temperature. The lack of front glass and steel makes our modules lightweight (about 2.2 kg/m² compared to 15-18 kg/m² of traditional ones), and easier to recycle.»

Emilia III is a project with high technological content and represents a unique laboratory for the study of composite materials and solar and electric mobility. But will we ever see a 100% solar-powered car on the market? «To this end, we are working in Torino E-District, a consortium that involves also the Fiat Research Centre, for a two seater car, 100% solar-powered with lithium-ion batteries, which is already in an advanced stage of development» says Luca Bonci. «It will have a range of about 20 km and can not therefore be used for long or medium distances, but it will be a very interesting solution for certain urban applications, such as  deliveries or take-away.»

Link to the original article.