2.

5 MegaWattBlock
for Solar Power Plants
gri d - s u p p o rti v e , sta n d a r d i z e d
a n d f u t u re - p r o o f

2.5 MegaWattBlock:
Welcome to the Future
of Solar Technology.
With the 2.5 MegaWattBlock, BELECTRIC is

and

setting new standards in solar power produc-

power plant unit is ready to operate with

tion. On a par with the functionality of large

a maximum system voltage of 1,500VDC .

conventional power plants, our grid-stabiliz-

With this higher voltage it is possible to

ing power plant technology makes it possible

further reduce system and maintenance

to intelligently integrate renewable energy

costs. In addition to system efficiency, the

sources in existing power grids. This means

2.5 MegaWattBlock also sets new standards

that grid expansion due to Renewable Energies

in terms of reliability. The inverters of the

could be kept to a bare minimum.

Power Condition Unit achieve a staggering

electrical

components.

The

new

availability rate of over 99% controlled by the

The 2.5 MegaWattBlock is a high-performance

BELECTRIC Realtime Management System.

power plant unit, which forms a groundmounted solar power plant, either indepen-

These success factors are the result of years

dently or in combination. This standardized

of research and development in the field

modular design is founded on many years of

of photovoltaics one of the best types of

experience in the realization of power plants

power generation for the climate and the

around the world. Precisely tailored to the

environment. An integral part of BELECTRICs

area and customers requirements, the 2.5

vision has always been to produce solar

MegaWattBlock stands for an optimum cost-

electricity at a lower price than oil and gas

benefit ratio and safeguards your investment

(based on world market prices). With the

in the long run.

2.5 MegaWattBlock, this goal has become

reality across all climate conditions. The

With a performance ratio of up to 85%,

intelligent power plant technology and the

the perfectly tailored system design of the

standardized system design make it possible.

2.5

MegaWattBlock

offers

above-average

system efficiency. The performance ratio is

viewed as a meaningful quality indicator in
photovoltaics and defines the overall efficiency
of a system. The higher the value, the lower
the losses through conductors, inverters,

LONDON NEW YORK: This very distance of more than

5,600 kilometres would be the result if we line up all the
photovoltaic modules that we have installed worldwide in 2011.

Experienced:
A Wealth of In-house
Expertise.
Since the company was founded in 2001,

the future. The BELECTRIC development

BELECTRIC delivered single projects exceeding

team guides numerous photovoltaic visions

100 MWp and has installed over 1 GWp of solar

through to the production stage the research

power in total. This makes it possible to supply

department already registered more than 100

over one million people with electricity. We

patents, which ensure the highly efficient and

develop innovative technologies characterized by

reliable operation of solar power plants.

high energy yields, reliable operation in diverse

More than just EPC:

climates, and low raw material consumption.

BELECTRICs core capabilities at a glance

The high performance 2.5 MegaWattBlock
for solar power plants is based on over a
decade of system know-how from a company
that

continuously

conducts

development,

construction, and realization activities itself.

The high degree of vertical integration in
the production processes has resulted in a
leading market position for BELECTRIC. Today,
BELECTRIC employs around 2,000 people across
the globe in the development & manufacturing
of BoS (Balance of Systems) components, plant
construction, technical plant management, and
many other areas.

Research
System Development
Manufacturing of Components
Photovoltaic Modules
Inverter System
DC electrical system
Substructure

Project Development & Construction Permit

Project Engineering
Project Financing
Procurement
Logistics & Warehousing
Construction Process
Manpower

In-house

innovations

photovoltaics

create

in
the

all

areas

of

foundation

for

environmentally friendly power supply in

Construction Machinery

Grid Connection (AC)

Operation & Maintenance

BELECTRIC:
Milestones of the
World Market Leader
According

to

renowned

market

research

results in reduced costs per generated kWh of

companies such as iSuppli and IMS Research,

electricity over the long term and highly efficient

since 2010 BELECTRIC is the global market leader

results. All work steps under one roof this

in the development and construction of ground-

approach allows BELECTRIC to complete the

mounted solar power plants and roof-mounted

construction of solar power plants worldwide

photovoltaic systems. It also became the first

within the agreed time limit.

company to install more than 1Gigawatt of

photovoltaic power in total.

A further reason for the success of the company

is its financial independence. With a very good

All

system

components

(BoS),

such

as

equity ratio and corresponding credit limit,

substructures, cabling systems and inverter

BELECTRIC is viewed as one of the most reliable

stations are produced in house at BELECTRIC,

partners by investors and banks responsible

enabling perfect tailoring of the individual

for project financing. This is confirmed by

components of the system design, which in turn

independent ratings from Creditreform.

Founded in

2001

PV Power Installed

More than 1,000 MWp

Innovations

Module clip for laminate/thin-film modules

Linear aligned design for ground-mounted solar power plants
3D ramming installation
RealTime system monitoring & management
Intelligent day-and-night grid stabilization
Load management system via charging infrastructure
for electric vehicles
1,500 VDC power plant technology
Active protection of module degradation through
PID protection device

Installation Volume
per year

Concrete: 50,000m3
Steel & Aluminum: 50,000t
AC & DC Cabling: 3,000 km
PV Modules: More than 5 million units

Honors & Awards

Bayerns Best 50 (2009/2011)

Intersolar Award 2011
Creditreform Balance Sheet Rating Index No. 122
World Market Leader 2010 & 2011 (IMS Research / iSuppli)

100

photovoltaic patents are sucessfully registered since 2001.

190
600

solar power plants has been constructed by BELECTRIC since 2002.

employees install 65,000 tons of modules in one year.

5 million
1,000

m3 of substructure with DC electric system are manufactured annually at

our ten production facilities worldwide.

construction machines and vehicles in the field for BELECTRIC every day.

200,000

hours per year are spend BELECTRIC engineers and technicians working
on the development of our products, projects and innovations.

2.5 MegaWattBlock :
Solar power...

4
3
2

The regional power grid of the future:

1 Solar power plant: 10 MWp = 4x 2.5 MegaWattBlock

5 Private households

2 Power Plant Controller and grid access point

6 Conventional power plant

3 Transformer station

7 Urban area

4 AC power line (medium- and high-voltage grid)

8 Industrial area

Day & night working grid-stabilizing power plant technology avoids grid extension
Intelligent plant management for a reliable power supply
Competitive and grid-supportive solar energy

...grid-friendly integrated.

System Design:
The Components
of Success.
Our success lies in the system. All components

power control devices, the PCU is designed to

are optimally tailored to their functions. The

provide reactive power to the full extent of its

2.5 MegaWattBlock is a consistent power

rated power and to react dynamically to grid

plant unit developed for the construction

voltage deviations - with a power loss lower

of solar power plants in 2.5 MWp steps. The

than 1%. Also the fact that the reactive power

BELECTRIC system design is characterized

control works even without sunlight is a benefit

by its intelligent combination of high-quality

of the BELECTRIC power plant technology.

components. Specially developed materials

ensure decades of reliable operation, even in

Optimize the economic viability of your

extreme environmental conditions.

investment in solar energy with the new

2.5 MegaWattBlock.

The block design of the successful BELECTRIC

product series sets new standards: with its
help, it is possible to reduce the levelized costs
of electricity even further.
The advanced Power Conditioning Unit (PCU)
with built-in reactive power control ability
helps to improve the stability of the local grid
network. Compared to traditional reactive

10

Substructure
The laser-precise linear alignment of the substructure has made it
possible for each photovoltaic module to receive the same
exposure to light. Standardized components manufactured
from high-quality raw materials in heavy industrial-grade
and series production. The installation is high-precision
and machine-assisted. The substructure is always
optimized to the local environmental conditions and
static load requirements.

Module technology
BELECTRIC consistently promotes photovoltaic modules with modern
thin-film technology. These comply with the newest

state-of-the-art

technologies, ensure optimal use of solar irradiation and require significantly

fewer raw

materials during production than traditional silicon-based

technologies. So within the first year of operation, they generate more

energy than was required to produce the modules. The 2.5 MegaWattBlock
may also be equipped with other module technologies, upon
customers request.

Power Plant Controller (PPC)

The intelligent control unit monitors the grid access points and
regulates the electrical current flow of the solar power plant and
adjusts the voltage using reactive power. Specially developed voltage sensors and software algorithms detect emerging grid requirements and react automatically. Reliable support for the local grid.
With the Real-time Management system all grid access points and
solar power plant data are permanently available to
be monitored. The web interface offers a
huge variety of logging and analyzing
tools. With the extensive analysis
and logging functions, you always have data on the solar
power plant output with all
its parameters at hand. This
basic data makes it possible
to avoid system failures and
to increase operating safety.

Power Conditioning Unit (PCU)

The specially developed Power Conditioning Unit (PCU) includes an intelligent inverter system with up to 1500VDC system
voltage and a transformer station. The inverter system is
optimized for the use of thin-film module technologies
and is characterized by the high level of system
efficiency. The built-in PID protection device
reduces the module degradation effect.
A typical public grid shows many voltage deviations produced by different
power loads. The dynamic reactive
power capability of the PCU stabilizes
the public grid voltage - day and night.
The PCU with its medium-voltage grid
supply in outdoor construction enables optimum accessibility and easy
maintenance of the system.

New Technology:
For a Stable Power Grid.
The existing power grid was originally designed

with an essential component for sustainably

as a distribution grid: large power plants

stabilizing the power grids. The solution is

produce power centrally at high and highest

an intelligent control unit that can be used to

voltage levels for consumers at a lower voltage

smoothly integrate the new product range into

level. This concept endured unchanged for

the worldwide power grids and to combine

almost 100 years. However, the installation of

them with conventional power plants. Thus,

renewable energy sources over the past decade

this new technology contributes significantly

has brought about the addition of energy

to the improvement of the grid stability

generators at low and medium voltage level. The

for operators and consumers, establishes

result: a significantly more complex, distributed

photovoltaics as decisive part of the energy mix,

grid structure. With the 2.5 MegaWattBlock,

and makes the costly extension of the power

BELECTRIC provides the electricity suppliers

grids redundant.

High-voltage grid

Medium-voltage grid

Low-voltage grid

Renewable Energies
Photovoltaic rooftop
system with standard
reactive power control

Relay
station

Relay
station

Consumer load:
Towns and communes

Consumer load: Industry

Sensor system to measure

the electrical grid data

Q Reactive power
Active power (consumption

Solar Power Plant

P and generation)

Arrows show the direction

of energy

PV rooftop system
Small range of
cos = 0.9 (ind.)
to 0.9 (cap.)

Full range of cos > 0 (ind.) to

cos > 0 (cap.)

Central computer: Monitoring

of grid access points

Reactive Power Control

at day and night

~
3

S
P

Grid-stabilizing power plant technologies create new capacities into the regional power grid
14

Depending on the corresponding country-specific

Germany, energy generation plants must provide

specifications, the voltage in the public power grids

reactive power during normal operation in order to

must be maintained in a voltage corridor so that

compensate the deviations in voltage theyre causing.

electrical loads are not damaged. Furthermore,

At this point, BELECTRIC goes the extra mile, to

fluctuations should be minimized in order to allow for

stabilize the regional power grid actively opposed to

smooth operation. The reasons for voltage deviations

traditional reactive power control units:

are fluctuating feed-in of renewable energies and

unforeseeable consumer loads.

The reactive power is available independently

of the solar irradiation during the day and at night.

Grid stabilization by means of reactive power control

The reactive power is controlled to the full extent

The reactive power is an electrotechnical variable

of the connected power of the plant.

caused by a phase shift of the current intensity

The reactive power control can be adapted within

regarding the electrical voltage. The reactive power

milliseconds between cos > 0 (inductive)

occurs everywhere in the power grid, is a necessary

to cos > 0 (capacitive).

element for the current flow, and has a significant

influence on the grid voltage. BELECTRIC uses this

The reactive power control unit can be either run in

effect and is able to reduce the share of reactive power

automatic mode (within the power utility companies

in the power grid on the one hand, and to increase

parameters regarding the local grid requirements)

240

the aforementioned deliberately on the other hand.

237.5

This intervention results in the option of changing

232.5

the mains voltage as required and with low electrical

227.5

loss (<1%).

225.5

235
230

or in semi-automatic mode accessible by an active

external control signal.

225
220
6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

15:00

16:00

Currently, rather different grid connection directives

and requirements are applicable in the countries. In

Voltage
[V]

Grid-voltage WITHOUT reactive power control:

Grid-voltage WITH reactive power control:

240

240

237.5

237.5

235

235

232.5

232.5

230

230

227.5

227.5

225

225

225.5

225.5

220
6:00

220
7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15

In safe hands:
The BELECTRIC team.
When you choose BELECTRIC solar power

Remote power plant monitoring, regular

plants, you choose technology with decades-

inspections which include visual and function

long endurance and if you wish, during this

checks, cleaning services, on-site service in

time you are never on your own, not even for

the event of a fault and detailed maintenance

a second.

reports and documentation aid the continual

monitoring and management. Depending on

The BELECTRIC team supports with the financing

the location, the service package is of course

of the investment in solar technology. We

tailored to the country-specific conditions.

negotiate with banks and credit institutions and,

when you desire, draw up detailed financing

With the BELECTRIC service team, highly

plans as well as attractive financing concepts.

qualified and experienced colleagues are

We will also gladly support you in the choice of

available without restriction to maintain the

necessary insurances.

value of our customers investments throughout

the decades.

The generation of electrical power from sunlight

is almost wear-free and very little maintenance
is required. Continuous monitoring of the
2.5 MegaWattBlocks is still advisable to prevent
avoidable yield losses. The long service life
demands professional management, during
which BELECTRIC adopts all technical tasks
when you so desire.

16

17

2.5 MegaWattBlock:
Technical data.
BELECTRIC 2.5 MegaWattBlock
Total nominal power:

up to 2,500kWp

Required area:

Central Europe approx. 35,000m

Southwestern USA approx. 30,000m

Middle East approx. 25,000m

Power plant height:

approx. 3.0m with 20 module incline

Power grid supply:

BELECTRIC Power Conditioning Unit (PCU):

Power plant inverter system, transformer station

Dynamic reactive power control (24/7)

10kV to 33kV medium-voltage power grid (50/60Hz)

BELECTRIC Power Plant Controller (PPC):

Controlling and monitoring of the 2.5 MegaWattBlocks

Module degradation reduction: Built-in PID protection device

Photovoltaic modules:

Leading Thin-film technologies: First Solar, Solar Frontier

First Solar: IEC 61646, UL 1703, TV Safety Class II

Solar Frontier: IEC 61646, IEC 61730, UL 1703, RoHS EU Directive

Further module technologies on customer request.

System efficiency:

up to 85% (Performance Ratio)

System voltage:

max. 1,500 VDC

Valid air temperature:

up to 50 C (optional to 55 C)

Monitoring:

BELECTRIC Service package with real-time

monitoring system

Operating service life:

> 20 years with BELECTRIC service package

Guidelines and standards: The 2.5 MegaWattBlock meets current country-specific

guidelines and standards

Disposal:

Recyclability of all components used

Technical changes are reserved. Customer specific solutions on request.

18

Sustainability. Photovoltaics improves the CO2 balance!

The 2.5 MegaWattBlock performs a valuable,
decades-long contribution to emisson-free energy
generation and is consistently focused on recyclability.

Solar power plants in nature: BELECTRIC ground-mounted solar

power plants integrate into various landscapes and do not disturb
the natural habitat of plants and animals alike. Partially shaded areas
also suffice to allow enough sunlight and precipitation to reach the ground.
19

The better electric.

w w w.belectric.com

1000

MWp

FIRST COMPANY WITH

OVER 1 GIGAWATT SOLAR
POWER INSTALLED

391

MWp

WORLD LEADING
PV-SYSTEM
INTEGRATOR IN 2011

17
BELECTRIC IS
PRESENT IN
17 COUNTRIES

BELECTRIC Headquarters Germany

Regional offices: Australia,
Chile, Czech Republic,
France, Greece, India, Israel,
Italy, Poland, Romania,
Spain, Switzerland, Turkey,
United Arab Emirates,

Rev. 2012_0904_EN

United Kindom, USA

BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH

Wadenbrunner Strae 10
97509 Kolitzheim, Germany
Phone +49 9385 9804-0
Fax +49 9385 9804-590
info@belectric.com
www.belectric.com