Schneider Electric launches Villaya containerized microgrids

Schneider Electric has launched Villaya, a new class of highly disruptive industrial-class solar microgrid solutions using PWRstation's state-of-the-art retractable solar racking technology. The unveiling occurs last week at the 2018 Schneider Electric Annual Innovation Summit in Paris, where more than 4,000 visitors and 200 partners are expected to attend.

Villaya is a containerized, transportable plug and play solar solution that overcomes the challenges of traditional solar installations including 20-year minimum land requirements, long order-to-activation cycles, on-site construction crews, and high upfront capital.

With Villaya, end users receive and instantly deploy fully operating solar microgrids for immediate electricity generation in off-grid environments. The Villaya solution is designed for critical applications including emergency response, humanitarian / NGO, rural electrification, remote mining and construction, island and defense.

"By integrating some of today's most advanced mobile solar technologies, Schneider Electric is able to deliver solar power generated electricity on the go... anywhere, giving us a first mover advantage in helping to improve people's lives around the world," says Olivier Jacquet, Schneider Electric'sGlobal Account Manager for Refugees, Emergency and War Sustainability Development.

"Villaya is a perfect example of PWRstation's retractable EXOractm racking technology in action," says PWRstation Chief Commercial Officer Gianfranco Albertella. "The ability to retract a 120 solar panel re-deployable microgrid in a matter of minutes to produce 135 kWp of electricity is about to become the standard for off-grid applications."

While Schneider / PWRstation solar solutions are mostly aimed at businesses in previously mentioned commercial areas, both companies are deeply committed to serving the humanitarian and emergency sectors. Schneider Electric and PWRstation partner with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in providing various solutions to refugee camps throughout the world.

PWRstation Chief Business Development Officer Ludovic Roche says, "we are seeing an unprecedented demand for self-sustainable, transportable emergency energy assets in severe weather-prone areas where hurricane incidents are on the rise, and in remote areas where development is surging."

He adds, "PWRstation's integration partners around the world are developing a host of highly versatile solutions using our retractable solar racking technology as a core ingredient for rapid deployment."

EXOrac solar racking technology is available to system integrators in kits or under licensing agreement.