The public lecture on “Photovoltaics: What you need to know”, which took place on Wednesday, 10 April 2024 at the University of Cyprus, sought to provide attendees with essential information concerning everyday choices surrounding Photovoltaic (PV) systems, with a dedicated Q and A session following the presentations, to field practical audience queries and concerns. The event was organised by the University of Cyprus and the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence, in collaboration with the Committee of the citizen-led “Photovoltaics For All” Initiative, in light of the increased interest in PV Technology, by both domestic consumers of electricity and businesses for self-production purposes.
In his welcoming address, Prof. George E. Georghiou, Professor at the University of Cyprus and Head of the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation in Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions, underlined the pivotal role of solar energy in our lives and of PV Technology in particular. Mr. Kyriakos
Kalattas, President of the Committee of the citizen-led “Photovoltaics For All” Initiative, also addressed the gathering, briefly referencing the main objectives of the Committee he heads. He underlined that one of these objectives is “to furnish valid, objective, and reliable information to all interested parties that wish to make use of Photovoltaics’, hence the ‘participation and support of the Committee in the organisation of this public lecture”.
After thanking the University of Cyprus and the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence, Mr. Kalattas congratulated Professor Georgiou and his colleagues for the event and recalled the organisation of a similar public outreach event in May 2015, underscoring the need by the competent bodies to further utilise the University of Cyprus in informing the public in matters related to PV Technology and beyond.
The public lecture was attended by the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism, Dr. Kyriakos Hatziyiannis, who congra
tulated the organisers for the very useful and timely event but also for the broader initiative underway. He stood especially on the involvement of the supporters of this effort, thanking them for their contribution to informing thousands of their members and our fellow citizens about the issues related to Photovoltaic Technology and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in general.
The public outreach event sought to cater to both laymen/women and those who handle and install PV systems. As such, it was of primary importance that it was embraced by prominent partners with valuable action on the ground in Cyprus. More specifically, the event was supported by the Cyprus Confederation of Professional Craftsmen and Shopkeepers, the Cyprus Consumers Association, the Cyprus Association of Licensed Electrical Contractors, and the Pancypriot Organisation of Large Families. In this context, the following representatives from these organisations delivered welcome addresses, namely: Mr. Stefanos Koursaris, General Secretary
of the Cyprus Confederation of Professional Craftsmen and Shopkeepers, Mr. Marios Drousiotis, President of the Cyprus Consumers Association, and Mr. Dinos Olympios, President of the Pancypriot Organisation of Large Families.
The presentations that followed by scientific personnel of the University of Cyprus and the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence covered a wide range of PV-related topics, providing substantive information concerning key aspects of the Technology. More specifically, Dr. George Makrides, Senior Scientist, spoke about “Choosing the Right PV System: Guidelines to Quality”, while Dr. Andreas Livera, postdoctoral Researcher, presented “Quality Assurance in Photovoltaics: Maintenance and Fault Detection”.
At the end of the event, time was given for a dedicated Q and A session, during which various practical queries were raised, with a host of interesting opinions and comments submitted for discussion by the active audience.
The partners have committed to keeping the conversation and beneficial acti
vity around this going, to continue to provide guidance to their members and other prospective users of PV technologies. As part of this, the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence developed an online guide to quality in choosing the right PV system, which is currently available in English (and soon in Greek) here: https://www.phaethon-coe.eu/pvguidelines/
The event was held under the framework of activities of the “PHAETHON” Teaming project through the “Sustainable Energy Transition Technologies” Initiative of the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation in Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions. The ‘PHAETHON’ project is funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 101059898) and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.
Source: Cyprus News Agency