A new milestone for the SEEDS Greek pilot

The SEEDS Greek pilot has reached an important milestone, with RENEL completing the development and installation of a smart tracking reflection system designed to support the operation of the pilot’s bifacial photovoltaic (PV) system.

Installed at the Democritus University of Thrace campus in Xanthi, in an open area near the student residences, the system is now ready to be tested under real operating conditions.

This marks the transition of the Greek demonstrator from development to operation and validation, allowing the project to gather practical experience and performance data from the installed system.

Making better use of available sunlight

The system combines a stable metal structure with a specially selected reflective material, positioned to redirect additional solar radiation towards the bifacial PV modules.

Its distinguishing feature is the ability to adjust its inclination according to the position of the sun and prevailing solar conditions, rather than remaining fixed.

By adapting the reflection angle, the system aims to improve how sunlight reaches the PV array and make better use of the two active surfaces of the bifacial modules. This could support additional renewable electricity generation, including during periods of lower solar irradiance.

From installation to real-world testing

RENEL led the implementation of the system, covering its design, development, manufacturing, supply, installation, commissioning and initial verification.

The installation was carried out with the Democritus University of Thrace, with the reflector now becoming part of the wider smart control and monitoring environment developed within SEEDS.

The next stage will focus on fine calibration, monitoring and data collection, providing an opportunity to observe how the system performs in everyday operating conditions.

Evaluating performance and replication potential

The monitoring period will help the project assess the reflector from several perspectives, including its energy contribution and operational behaviour.

The data collected will also contribute to evaluating whether this type of smart solar reflection system could be replicated in other building electrification applications.

Rather than assessing the concept only under controlled conditions, the Greek pilot will now provide evidence from an operational demonstrator, helping the SEEDS consortium better understand its practical performance and potential applications.

A step towards validated smart solar integration

With the reflector now installed and entering its monitoring phase, the SEEDS Greek pilot is moving from system development to practical validation.

The results from this next phase will add to the project’s understanding of how intelligent solar solutions can be integrated into building energy systems and how they can contribute to more effective use of available renewable resources.

From development to demonstration, the Greek pilot is now putting the technology to the test in real-world conditions.