Solar Ark
| Solar Ark | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| location | |||
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| Coordinates | 35 ° 19 '51 " N , 136 ° 40' 17" E | ||
| country |
 Japan
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| Data | |||
| Type | Photovoltaic system | ||
| Primary energy | solar power | ||
| power | 630 kW | ||
| owner | Sanyo → Panasonic | ||
| Start of operations | 2002 | ||
The Solar Ark ( English for solar ark ; Japaneseソ ー ラ ー ア ー ク) is an arched, self-supporting photovoltaic system in Ampachi , Japan .
The facility was built by Sanyo in 2001 and is 315 m long. Inside there is an interactive museum all about solar energy . The 5046 solar modules produce around 530 MWh of electrical energy annually.
history
With the Solar Ark , Sanyo wanted to set an example for sustainability at the company's 50th anniversary and the beginning of the new millennium . The Solar Ark was planned as part of a solar system with a total output of 3.4 MW. The Solar Ark alone should contribute one megawatt . For this purpose, photovoltaic modules with Sanyo's latest HIT technology should be installed, which should achieve an efficiency between 14 and 15% through the combination of monocrystalline silicon with an amorphous thin-film cell .
In October 2000, however, a scandal broke out after it became known that large quantities of conventional photovoltaic cells from ongoing production had knowingly been sold with performances below the declared figures. Large quantities of modules that had already been sold then had to be taken back by the manufacturer. For image reasons and to limit the financial loss, these recalled modules were then mounted on the Solar Ark . Instead of the latest modules, degraded old models were installed, which reduced the initially projected output from 1 MW to 630 kW.
The construction of the remaining 3.4 MW photovoltaic system, a wave-shaped field and a system on the adjacent company building was postponed indefinitely. On April 3, 2002, the Solar Ark was finally officially opened.
After Panasonic took over Sanyo , the logo on the Solar Ark was replaced by the Panasonic logo.
construction
The architecture of the Solar Ark is based on a ship, the Ark , and is intended to illustrate the departure and journey into the new millennium. This modeled ship measures 315 m from bow to stern. The structure is designed as a steel truss construction and weighs around 3000 t. Overall, this results in an area of 7500 m², which is oriented 81 ° to the horizontal and 20 ° to the west to the south. Inside this steel structure there is an interactive museum on the subject of solar energy, which is statically independent from the rest of the Solar Ark .
The entire construction rests on four columns, which were manufactured seamlessly and which together weigh another 224 t. Each of these pillars is supported by a reinforced concrete foundation, each containing four 31 m long piles . The entire foundation weighs another 5000 t. This gives the Solar Ark resistance to winds up to 34 m ⁄ s and earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7 on the Japanese scale .
The generated electrical voltage is converted from 270 V DC to 440 V AC in two inverters , then transformed to 6600 V and fed to the nearby company-owned plant.
In order to underpin the idea of the ship architecturally, the Solar Ark is surrounded by water installations (ponds, fountains, water cascades).
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 315 m |
| height | 37.1 m |
| Weight | approx. 3000 t |
| Number of solar modules | 5046 |
| Maximum power | 630 kW |
| annual production of el. energy | approx. 530,000 kWh |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Panasonic: Solar Ark. (No longer available online.) October 4, 2012, archived from the original on March 25, 2013 ; accessed on February 13, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ https://inhabitat.com/solar-ark-worlds-most-stunning-solar-building/
- ↑ Panasonic: Solar Ark - About The Solar Ark. (No longer available online.) September 24, 2012, archived from the original on March 13, 2013 ; accessed on March 4, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ William P. Hirshman: What would Noah have thought? (No longer available online.) PHOTON International, June 2002, archived from the original on January 20, 2013 ; accessed on March 4, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Panasonic: Solar Ark - Specification. (No longer available online.) September 24, 2012, archived from the original on July 6, 2011 ; accessed on March 4, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
