Government incentives and lower infrastructure costs are driving the boom in solar energy across Eastern Europe. Magnelis®, from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, is increasing the attractiveness of solar for investors as it extends the lifespan of solar farms. Two of Poland’s largest manufacturers of photovoltaic support systems are Energy5 and Corab. Both use Magnelis® to create long-lasting solar farms which will generate clean energy for decades to come. In solar farm applications, ArcelorMittal offers long-term guarantees on Magnelis® of up to 25 years. This ensures that new solar farms will provide an adequate return on the investment over their lifetime. Both Corab and Energy5 are using the advantages of Magnelis® to move beyond Poland and explore opportunities in nearby countries, and even further afield.

Magnelis®: “a game changer”

For Energy5, the Magnelis® success story began in 2016 when the company’s senior leadership met ArcelorMittal’s commercial and technical teams to share their vision for Magnelis® in solar structures. “We had tested Magnelis® at the Institute of Precision Mechanics in Warsaw, Poland,” explains Piotr Żbikowski, President of the Energy5 Management Board. “But a meeting with ArcelorMittal confirmed the outstanding corrosion resistance of Magnelis®. We knew it would be a game changer.”

Around the same time, Corab learnt about Magnelis® through its close relationship with ArcelorMittal Downstream Solutions Poland. “At Corab, we decided to utilise Magnelis® for its strength, exceptional anti-corrosion properties, self-healing on cut edges, and long guarantees,” says Henryk Biały, CEO of Corab. “Magnelis® is now the backbone of our installations and one of our main competitive advantages.”

The experience of both companies proves that the market requirements for durable structures and increasingly higher guarantees continue to grow. Therefore, they look to more advanced, high strength steels with even more durable metallic coatings.

Lighter and stronger photovoltaic solutions

Henryk Biały believes that Magnelis® has completely changed the solar industry in Eastern Europe. “Thanks to Magnelis®, solar systems have become lighter, stronger, and more resistant to mechanical and chemical damage. Traditional galvanised products have much lower corrosion resistance. To achieve a similar level of performance to Magnelis®, the zinc coating would have to be very thick, making the structure much heavier.”

The exceptional features of Magnelis® have enabled Corab’s photovoltaic systems to become more competitive on the international market. The company has now installed systems in 18 European countries, with a total capacity of more than 500 megawatts (MW) in the first half of 2020.

In 2020, Energy5 provided Magnelis® support structures for the largest photovoltaic plant connected in Poland to date. “This solar farm will have the capacity to produce approximately 50 MW of energy,” notes Piotr Żbikowski. “We are completing other complex solar projects, including an investment in Hungary. This project involves the construction of a photovoltaic power plant across four locations. When completed, it will have a total capacity of 80 MW.”

Production and product development support

Both Energy5 and Corab rely on support and new product development from ArcelorMittal to get the most out of Magnelis®. “We worked with ArcelorMittal to ensure the properties of Magnelis® are not affected during production,” says Henryk Biały. “As our designs meet their recommendations, ArcelorMittal can guarantee the corrosion protection of the Magnelis® we process.”

“We set new trends by constantly looking for innovative solutions that will allow us to deliver the safest photovoltaic mounting systems on the market,” says Piotr Żbikowski. “Energy5 is one of the first customers to test innovations in Magnelis® on different steels. Once these solutions are fully commercialised, we will be able to meet the growing demand from the market for solar structures with optimised structures and even better durability.”

Energy5

Energy5 is an international supplier of ground-mounted solar systems, roof and facade systems, and freestanding systems for parking spaces (AUTOBOX). The company provides individual and optimised design selection. Thanks to the high quality of their systems and comprehensive service (confirmed, for example, by TÜV Rheinland and national research institutes), the company has been able to expand their operations in Central and Eastern Europe.

Energy5 currently operates two production plants which supply fixing systems for photovoltaic modules to clients in Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. The company’s manufacturing plants include five computer-controlled lines which enable Energy5 to fulfil orders quickly and produce special projects tailored to a client’s requirements.

More info: www.energy5.pl

Corab

Corab has specialised in the production of steel and aluminium products and traded in electronic parts for nearly three decades. This experience has made the company a leader in the manufacturing of solar energy systems in Europe and beyond. Production takes place in a modern plant which uses automatic processes, supervised by a specialised staff of nearly 250 people. Corab’s systems have passed numerous laboratory and strength tests which confirm their quality and safety. Systems bear the CE mark, confirming they comply with European standards.

More info: corab.eu

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
Energy5
Corab

Related link(s)

Magnelis® for solar mounting systems

Installation of solar mounting systems with Magnelis®

Solar panels with Magnelis® mounting systems

Solar farm with Magnelis®

Close up of solar structure with Magnelis®

Magnelis® on solar frame close up

Large solar farm with Magnelis®

Energy5 manufacturing

Magnelis® for solar mounting systems

Henryk Biały, Corab CEO

Piotr Żbikowski, President of the Energy5 management board

In the city of Bonn in Germany, steel beams produced by ArcelorMittal's Differdange mill were recently discovered in perfect condition in a centenary house during a remodelling project.

First-class quality after almost 120 years

Blending in with the white interior design of the house, the beams could almost go unnoticed. This was exactly the case until the owner, Paul Udo Hanus, decided to renovate. He was astonished by his discovery: 'DIFFERDINGEN NP 12' stood out on the massive steel beams that were "in perfect condition".

Wondering where the beams could have been manufactured, Paul’s internet search led him to ArcelorMittal. He thought it would be a nice idea to contact the company. In an email, he highlights the perfect condition of the steel beams and pays compliment to the colleagues and employees of 1904 and to ArcelorMittal for the first-class quality that is still maintained today. Steel beams were manufactured under difficult, industrial conditions at that time, which is why the long durability is even more gratifying.

Our Differdange mill today

Today, ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products’ Differdange mill still produces similar beams. Thanks to several modernisation programmes over the years, today the mill can produce the heaviest beam blanks and the longest and heaviest beams in the world.

Moreover, the QST (Quenching and Self-Tempering) process is being used to produce a new generation of HISTAR® beams of exceptionally high quality.

Thanks to their high yield strength, outstanding robustness, and very good welding properties, they have made Differdange famous worldwide. They are used in the construction of high-rise buildings all over the world and will probably last at least 120 years - just like their ‘great-grandfathers’ in Bonn.

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
ArcelorMittal

Related link(s)

Close up of ArcelorMittal steel beam found in 1904 house

Bonn house with ArcelorMittal steel beams from 1904

Meeting the new standards

The increase in renewable energies and the progress in telecommunication technologies (e.g. G5) require the construction of new and/or the reinforcement of existing transmission lines and telecommunication towers.

The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) expect 18 000 kilometres of new transmission lines to be constructed in Europe by 2035 to cover the demand of renewable energies.

Weight reduction using S460

Steel lattice towers made of fully recyclable hot rolled angle profiles are a typical solution for transmission and telecommunication towers.

The use of high strength steel (e.g. S460) in steel lattice towers reduces the weight of standardised towers up to 20% compared to normal steel grades (e.g. S355), leading to lighter structures which are easier and faster to erect.

Innovative solutions

The reinforcement of existing steel lattice towers with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips increases the resistance of the main bearing elements by 50% and allows a quick and easy upgrade of the towers to higher voltage and bigger G5-antennas.

Text:
ArcelorMittal Commercial Sections
Constructalia

Images:
ArcelorMittal
Angelhy

Video:
Steligence

Related link(s)

Mike Tibolt, ArcelorMittal Global R&D

Angelhy: Innovative solutions for design and strengthening of telecommunications and transmission lattice towers using large angles from high strength steel and hybrid techniques of angles with FRP strips

Angelhy steel lattice tower banner