Mon, 25 July, 2022
In mid-2021, TWI Hellas came together with Elvan to develop a robotic waterless cleaning system. Based on Elvan’s years of experience in the solar industry, the main idea was to focus on effective photo voltaic (PV) cleaning that would resolve critical issues, and increase energy yield and revenue. So the TWI Hellas team took on the task of constructing a cutting-edge engineering solution that would relieve developers, O&Ms and field operators from maintenance problems, especially in relation to heavy soiling and dust, while contributing to the overall transition of solar energy. Thus, the fruition of this collaboration is the start-up, seed-funded company Solbotix, whose first product is currently being polished to serve solar needs in arid areas in the near future.
Since its very beginning, TWI Hellas’ primary focus has been to develop technological solutions for the sake of the industry and society at large, with the support of its TWIIN vast industrial network when needed. For single-client projects like Solbotix, TWI Hellas provides an end-to-end set of services. First, by conducting in-depth technical research and market analysis, the team reflects the needs of influential stakeholders, fully maps out the current ecosystem and specifies the most fertile ground for the prospective product to fit into. During this process, the new product development plan is formed by setting engineering standards, deciding on the suitability of technologies, and identifying potential risks and obstacles that should be avoided. All the above characteristics shape the product’s character and build up its performance credentials. Naturally, the technical research never stops, yet the establishment of a working framework sets a bar for the development of the minimal viable product (MVP).
Next, comes the development phase, which is the most creative part of the whole process since new technical ideas are generated and evaluated for their practical, and thus commercial, value. At the same time, these ideas, being the intellectual property of the respective client, are protected. As the product is being developed, TWI Hellas offers commercial assistance through marketing and sales services, in order to manage sales prospects and introduce the company to the industry, through showcasing the ongoing R&D process, and the company’s mission, activities and important milestones.
Last but not least, during its nearly one year of existence, Solbotix it has made its debut to the industry at Intersolar 2021, showcased its prototype at Intersolar 2022, and will continue to develop its product’s effectiveness and push beyond its limits.
TWI Hellas Regional Manager, Dr Panos Chatzakos, points out about the Solbotix R&D project that “TWI Hellas has a dedicated team comprising tens of specialists, making it among the very few players in Greece that can support this kind of development. We are very pleased that these efforts have been successful, and we look forward to solving future technological challenges that may arise, always having the user in the centre of our focus.”
Follow the Solbotix LinkedIn page to learn more about different solar events and the latest technical breakthroughs.