Enel Green Power : EGP and the 7 Champions of Green Innovation

01/29/2016

Seven innovation champions for five technical challenges related to renewables. Enel Green Power has proclaimed the winners of the Innovation competitionlaunched in August to identify innovative technological solutions capable of meeting the company's operational needs at its online plants across the world.

The Evaluation Committees have chosen the winners of the competition among the 130 submitted proposals, with two ex-aequo prizes. The 7 selected proposals come from companies and individual innovators - including an Enel Green Power employee - who will receive a 10,000 euro prize. Here below are their names, the projects and the reasons for the choice, divided according to the five areas of the competition.

USE OF DRONES/SATELLITES FOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AND O&M ACTIVITIES

(2 ex-aequo acknowledgments)

Pro-Drone: The company proposed an autonomous UAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) solution for blade inspection of wind turbines. They have quipped the drones with space awareness sensors for blade inspections. Typically, full blade inspection requires 12 minutes while the expected LCOE reduction is about 0,12%, if these UAVs are used for O&M supervising activities.

Main reasons for the choice: Experience in the sector, high technical feasibility, applicability to EGP business and accuracy of economic analysis..

Keith Aubin (EGP employee): The winner proposed the integration of the photographic data acquired with the drones into the powerful properties of the GIS (Geographical Information Systems) software, enabling EGP to combine both systems to reduce maintenance costs and spread information. When the images and videos are acquired by flying objects (drones) there's also the need of processing these data and spread them before taking decisions. A new tailor-made GIS software with workflows adjusted to the purpose would allow to store, assess/interpret and respond to a great amount of data and images.

Main reasons for the choice: Esperienza del proponente nel settore dei Sistemi GIS e possibilità di sviluppare l'idea in-house, senza costi d'investimento.

AUTOMATIC ASSEMBLING OF SOLAR PV PLANTS

Luciano Salvietti Cignetti: The winner proposed the use of an automated guided vehicle (AGV), properly designed for the assembly of PV plants. The solution consists in developing an improved version of a visioncontrol robot, already used for PV assembly (taking a cue from solutions currently in use in agricolture), but not yet fully autonomous and customizable for many plants layouts.

Main Reasons for choice: Innovative and useful idea for EGP business, potential and interesting R&D program for the development of the robot.

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS CLEANING

(2 ex-aequo acknowledgments)

Md Auwal Hassan: he winner proposed to apply to PV panels a porous surface SLIPS (Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces), that is a product omniphobic, self-repairing, self-cleaning, resistant to abrasion and corrosion. The proponent conducted a scouting and finally individuated this coating treatment as a good solution to minimize the soiling issue in PV plants. Many Research Institutes and Companies are developing this product, among them Harward University.

Main Reasons for choice: Advice of an innovative solution for soiling minimization, Topic now in developing phase, Proposal well presented.

Kaustubh Ghule: The winner proposed an automatic cleaning system, consisting of lead screw and nut which is rotated by motor and having wiper brush fix on the nut, positioned between two solar panels. The system is completely 'water free'. The design has been developed in house by the proponent and a patent is pending on this solution. The proponent is a young Indian new graduate (B.E Mechanical Engineering).

Main Reasons for choice: Easiness of solution, water free, detailed economic analysis, prototype already developed by the proponent.

The two proposals are complementary and try to solve the same problem (Soiling of PV plants) focusing two different aspects:

• Minimizing the soiling (avoiding or minimizing dust accumulation) - Md Auwal Hassan;
• Using an automatic and water free cleaning robot, easy to be built - Kaustubh Ghule.

  WIND TURBINES GENERATORS BLADES ANTI-ICING/DE-ICING

  UltraTech International: The winner developed an organic-inorganic hybrid material, with a unique combination of fluid repellency and exceptional toughness for abrasion resistance and environmental stability. These hydrophobic/oleo phobic coatings possess low surface energy leading to easy cleaning, rain repellency, and excellent corrosion resistance. The product was developed as part of a 6 years US Militaryfunded research to create a clear hydrophobic coating that would coat the canopies of F16 fighter jets.

  Main Reasons for choice: Experience in the sector, high technical feasibility and innovative value for EGP business, proposal well presented.

  NEW GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING TECHNIQUES

  Jatinder Hanspal: The winner proposed to combine different techniques - ZTEM (Z-Tipper Axis Electromagnetic), FTG (Full tensor gradiometry) and Magnetic data - to perform an integrated interpretation, including 3D geological modeling and geophysical inversion. The strengths of the key technologies which will be combined (FTG, ZTEM and Magnetics) lie in the ability to provide detailed subsurface geologic mapping by an aerial method. Such regional-scale integrated surveys for geothermal exploration will provide a better picture of the geologic framework of an area from which more focused exploration for prospective areas would be possible.

  Main Reasons for choice: Advice of an interesting approach able to reduce geothermal exploration risks and geological uncertainty, innovative solution for EGP business.