A photovoltaic plant transforms solar energy into electricity through a system formed mainly by photovoltaic modules or panels and inverters for transforming direct current into alternating current.

Converting solar radiation into electricity occurs through a semi-conductor material; the most commonly used to is crystalline silicon.
A photovoltaic plant can be directly grid-connected, or be stand-alone.

The advantages in using this type of technology are the absence of polluting emissions, saving fossil fuels, reliability of the plant’s components, low operational and maintenance costs, modularity of the system and highly differentiated applications (principally on roofing or building façades, on terraces or on land in open spaces).

The disadvantages are high initial costs, which can be offset by the existing government incentives, and production that is conditioned by the time of exposure to the sun.

It is best, in fact, to build a photovoltaic system in a location with a southern exposure, that is not shaded by any obstacles, and possibly with modules that have an inclination between 25 and 35 degrees.

A plant’s production capacity is also conditioned by the typical solar radiation of the selected location and by the specific technical performance of the plant components.

For building a photovoltaic system with crystalline silicon panels, an 8-10 square meter area is necessary per kW, on surfaces that have an inclination between 25 and 35 degrees, while on flat surfaces a 20 square meter space per kW is necessary in order to avoid shading from other panels.

The life of a photovoltaic system lasts 20-25 years, based on the life of the photovoltaic modules as guaranteed by the manufacturers.

The ICQ  Group is active in the photovoltaic sector principally for building generation systems in synergy with other renewable sources or with energy saving systems.

ICQ is presently involved in feasibility studies for building photovoltaic roofing for industrial warehouses, for awnings used in biomass plants with panel placement systems that are also architecturally integrated.