The company has provided 20 solar PV panels that will generate 100 percent of the electricity to power the ETSAV's (eco) house.

Siliken, the international company specializing in the development of solutions for the PV solar energy sector, announced its sponsorship of one of the 20 international projects competing today at the Solar Decathlon Europe 2012, the international competition for solar and sustainable housing. Siliken supplied the project presented by the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Vallés (ETSAV) with solar modules to generate 100 percent of the electrical power for its 150 m2 (e)co house.

According to ETSAV, which is part of the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), "an (e)co house is a low-cost, self-sufficient greenhouse based on the principles of zero ecological and zero economic footprints. The house operates solely on solar energy promoting eco-friendly living."

Siliken also served as a partner in the construction of the house, 96 percent of which was built using reusable resources, including organic and biodegradable materials. This model home is able to provide 70 percent of drinking water by collecting rain and greywater treated in artificial wetlands. The set of PV solar panels donated by Siliken generate all electricity needed by the (e)co house including water heating. "At Siliken, we value projects that seek an environmental, social and economic balance in order to create solutions that are affordable for the vast majority of the population," said Carlos Navarro, President at Siliken. "Our sponsorship of the Solar Decathlon 2012 reinforces that value and helps further the adoption of solar energy across the globe."

The ETSAV's technical team is comprised of 50 professionals whose prototype must compete with 19 other projects and pass a series of 10 tests to demonstrate its sustainable construction. The projects, located at the "Villa Solar" in the Casa de Campo park in Madrid, can be visited today through September 30.

Solar Decathlon Europe

Solar Decathlon Europe is an international competition in which universities from all over the world design, build and present energy self-sufficient houses powered by solar and equipped with energy efficiency technology. The competition is organized by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works in collaboration with the Technical University of Madrid and the U.S. Energy Department.

The Solar Decathlon 2012 hosts the most international teams since its inception from 15 countries and 4 continents: Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

Siliken, Innovation Experience

Siliken is an international company developing solutions for the renewable energy industry, especially in the area of photovoltaic solar energy. It is committed to the promotion, maintenance and after-sales service of photovoltaic installations, including the manufacture and distribution of PV modules and components. Siliken has module production plants in Spain, Mexico and Romania, next to its own purification plant for solar-grade silicon in Spain. Siliken modules are subjected to strict quality control tests in order to guarantee product efficiency, flexibility and durability. Testimony to this are the modules' No. 1 ranking in 2010 and No. 2 ranking in 2011 in the leading independent survey carried out in the test laboratories of Photon in Aachen, Germany.

Today, Siliken continues its international expansion, strengthening its position as a reference in the world of renewable energy.