The non-profit English company NUNCATS has set itself the task of supplying remote regions in England with solar-powered light aircraft, offering an alternative to transport with diesel vehicles.

Around 150 kilometers from London, a photovoltaic charging station for electric aircraft has now been set up as a demonstration facility at Old Buckenham airfield. The station is equipped with 33 Q.Peak Duo L-G8 solar modules from Q-Cells, which have a total output of around 14 kilowatts. According to NUNCATS, this is the first facility of its kind in Europe.

The charging station is currently being used for a Zenith 750 aircraft. This prototype has a 30-kilowatt-hour battery that keeps the light aircraft in the air for about half an hour. The system currently uses a single-phase, 5-kilowatt charger. However, the charging infrastructure can be adapted and improved, allowing for more potential applications. For example, electric aircraft could be used in parcel delivery in the future.

Source:

pv-magazine, article by Ralph Diermann (2/22/2022):

https://www.pv-magazine.de/2022/02/22/europas-erste-solarbetriebene-ladestation-fuer-elektroflugzeuge-eroeffnet/, accessed: 2/23/2022 at 12.15 p.m.

Q-Cells press release:

https://www.q-cells.de/pressemeldungen/20220222.html, accessed: 2/23/2022 at 3 p.m.