MARKET APPLICATIONS
The solar market can be segmented into on-grid residential, commercial, utility and off-grid applications.
- Residential
- Commercial
- Utility
- Off-Grid Applications
Residential
Residential deployments are typically small (<5 KW) roof-mounted installations to supplement power usage to residential dwellings. Presently, residential deployments are the second highest in volume only after the commercial segment. Due to limited roof area, module efficiency is very important for residential deployments in order to achieve meaningful electricity generation. Other important considerations for residential deployments include material safety and ease of installation. As solar installations are reaching volumes and subsidies are being reduced, module form factor and installation costs are becoming highly important. Although the residential market is currently dominated by silicon solar panels, thin-film is making inroads into the residential market.
Ampulse offers its partners a unique, differentiated product for the residential market that has a flexible form factor for ease of installation, higher efficiency, and lower total system costs.
Commercial
Commercial installations are medium to large (several KW to a MW) deployments to supplement electricity requirements of commercial sector customers including enterprise and public sector. Similar to the residential segment, most commercial applications are roof-mounted. However, commercial roofs are less space-constrained than the residential segment. As a result, both thin-film and silicon solar technologies are being deployed in the commercial segment. Other criteria important for commercial segment deployments include material safety, flexible form factor (avoiding penetrating mounts), and ease of installation that lowers the total system cost. The commercial segment is presently the largest segment within the solar market.
Ampulse modules are uniquely positioned for the commercial segment offering flexible form factor for ease of installation, non-penetrating mounts, and higher efficiency that will result in lower total system cost.
Utility
The utility segment comprises very large installations deployed as solar farms (1MW and higher) to complement electricity requirements of large power companies and utilities. These panels are ground-mounted over large areas of remote land. Material safety and flexible form factor are less important for solar farms due to remote ground-mount deployments. Since the deployment areas are not a constraint, the efficiency requirements are typically low to medium. The utility segment is the third largest and fastest growing segment of the PV market. This segment is currently dominated by several thin-film technologies due to lower efficiency requirements and lower cost advantages combined with in-house expertise to develop, install and operate utility scale projects. To succeed in the utility market, new entrants need critical skills of planning, developing, and operating large solar plants, either in-house or via strategic partners.
Ampulse modules are a natural fit to meet requirements of the utility segment. The company is uniquely positioned to develop this market solely or with external strategic partners.
Off-Grid and Other Applications
These are typically small installations (<1KW) in rural or remote areas where grid power is unavailable to meet basic electricity needs such as powering street lights, operating small appliances, charging batteries and other similar applications. Military and consumer applications are also part of off-grid applications. This segment is relatively small and fragmented compared with other PV segments, comprising less than 5% of the total PV market.