On 5 September 2013, Donauer's first Brazilian solar project was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by representatives of the German Energy Agency (Deutsche Energie Agentur, dena), local government and business.
As part of dena's solar roof programme, Donauer has installed two solar systems at the "Projeto Tamar" marine turtle protection and conservation research station, based in Praia do Forte in the Brazilian state of Bahia. In so doing, Donauer has partnered with its Brazilian branch office to make an effective contribution to focusing public attention on the topic of solar energy. Every year, Projeto Tamar receives around 500,000 visitors, wanting to find out more about marine turtle conservation at first hand, and take part in both cultural events and workshops.
Sized at 20 m² and with a rated output of 2.88 kWp, the research station's on-roof PV system is as highly visible as the pergola set up on the beach for the second PV system. With an effective roof area used of 80 m², this solar pergola not only provides shade but also produces 8.6 kWp of solar energy. Alongside wind and rain, both systems are also exposed to the briny ocean breezes: accordingly, the aluminium elements were given a rust-resistant coating before being shipped from Germany. One key challenge was the solar pergolas architecture, which needed to blend in with the rest of the plant visually while also guaranteeing optimum module deployment.
