In recent years, the photovoltaic sector has been experiencing significant growth both nationally and internationally. Forecasts indicate that this trend will continue in the future, positioning the photovoltaic industry as crucial for the necessary energy transition. Based on this growth scenario and the projections made for the sector, with a medium scenario estimating an annual growth of nearly 10% in installed capacity for the coming years, the challenge of providing the sector with new qualified personnel to respond to this phenomenon becomes evident. This positions the sector as one of the drivers of economic recovery.
The issue related to the lack of qualified personnel is not only an identified challenge for the sector's future but is also already occurring at present and has been highlighted by companies and organizations.
The project presents innovations to provide qualified personnel and enhance employability in the photovoltaic industry.
Based on the growth scenario of the photovoltaic sector and in relation to the challenge of providing the sector with qualified personnel to sustain its growth in the coming years, the proposal for an industrial research project, EMPLEA SOLAR, is presented. The project proposes the innovation and integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as Virtual Simulation, Hardware in the Loop, and Virtual Reality, to create new, more effective, accessible, sustainable, and economical solutions. All these solutions will be encompassed in a Collaborative Platform among companies, certifying bodies, and future photovoltaic installers, with two main lines of action: the improvement and virtualization of certifying training processes and the promotion of job placement and employability in the Photovoltaic Sector.
The main objectives are:
1. Improve training quality and competitiveness in the PV sector through virtualization techniques and Industry 4.0 innovation.
2. Promote quality employment and enhance the availability of qualified personnel in the PV sector.
3. Drive the digital transformation of the PV sector, contributing to achieving energy transition, sustainable growth, and climate neutrality goals.
4. Foster economic, social, and territorial cohesion through the innovative collaboration and training platform.
5. Demonstrate and evaluate the benefits of the Collaborative Platform (employment and training) in the sector. Assess the economic viability of the platform.
During the project, following the analyses of the proposed training content for digitalization, three Learning Units focusing on the following training modules were worked on:
- Installation of photovoltaic solar panels with structure on flat roofs.
- Electrical connection of photovoltaic solar panels.
These modules were digitized using 3D modeling tools, employing the following Industry 4.0 technological tools:
- Digital/virtual simulators on desktop and web environments.
- Simulation through hardware interaction (Hardware in the Loop).
- Virtual Reality.
The training modules are integrated into the collaborative platform with basic functionalities to connect Training Centers, Companies, Students, and Potential Job Candidates in the sector, as well as hosting these digitized training modules for execution in a web environment.
In summary, the results obtained from the project include:
- Integration of virtualization and I4.0 innovation technologies.
- Circular economy involving key players in the photovoltaic sector (companies, training centers, workers) through the collaborative platform.
- Technical-economic analysis of the Collaborative Platform and paradigm shift in sector training and job searching.
- Dissemination of technological advancements.
Beneficios Obtenidos:
This technology is superior to traditional methodology, enhancing content assimilation and reducing learning time. Course instructors generally value the use of this technology as a complement to traditional teaching, highlighting the safety in content delivery compared to traditional methods. In terms of accessibility and autonomy, both in web-based training, despite the required learning curve, demonstrative sessions have shown that it's easy to use and doesn't pose an initial barrier to technology adoption. The ability to take the test at one's own pace, repeating as necessary, is a significant advantage over traditional teaching methods and serves as a motivating factor for knowledge acquisition.
Regarding sustainability and environmental impact, two of the proposed technologies allow remote training, avoiding travel and saving materials compared to traditional methods, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint.
¿Por qué Skylife?:
Skylife Engineering, through its digitalization approach, has contributed to the Emplea Solar project by merging various systems and technologies (Virtual Simulation, Computer Based Training, Hardware in the Loop, Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, and Artificial Intelligence) into an integrated solution that centralizes all information in a single point. This has been possible due to the existence of a multidisciplinary digitalization team capable of addressing projects with multiple technologies in an integrated manner.
