Our History – Research and Photovoltaic Measurement Technology
The history of PV-Engineering is closely linked to the development of photovoltaic measurement technology. Since the 1980s, we have shaped the industry – from early research projects in Africa to today’s high-tech solutions.
In a letter to the editor of the magazine PHOTON, Andreas Wagner, then Professor of Rational Energy Use at the University of Applied Sciences Dortmund, posed a problem on the explicit calculation of the solar cell characteristic curve. He jokingly suggested that “not even three readers of Photon could solve this calculation task with the permitted aids (the entire technical literature and a calculator) – except, of course, Prof. Wagner’s own students.” This was in spring 1998.
The patented methods for determining the peak power of photovoltaic modules and strings form the basis of the PVe Peak Meters.
Klaus M. Schulte and Prof. Wagner in 2005 on the occasion of a company presentation by the local “Society for Economic Development.”
Measuring devices should not only be highly precise, but also portable and easy to use. Following this motto, Andreas Wagner and Klaus M. Schulte founded PV-Engineering in 2000, a manufactory dedicated to the development and production of measuring devices for photovoltaic systems. Close cooperation with research institutions and universities has always been an important success factor for the company.
The next generation
In 2022, Andreas Wagner retired from the company upon reaching retirement age.
In February 2023, with Christof Schulte, the next generation joined the company. With his expertise and experience, the mechanical engineer optimizes the manufacturing processes and initiates the digitalization.
Son Christof Schulte
and father Klaus M. Schulte
explore solar energy
From the mid-1980s, the young engineer Andreas Wagner researched the practical suitability of the then new technology. The key question: Can photovoltaics help secure the energy supply for the population in rural African areas and in remote regions of the Philippines?
In the Philippines
As part of the technical cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Philippines, a team with Andreas Wagner built the Pulong Sampaloc photovoltaic pilot power plant. Thanks to the PV system, the residents have easy access to clean drinking water.
and in Senegal
“Testing and dissemination of photovoltaic systems in Senegal, 1986–1989” was another project of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ, today German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ) in which PV-Engineering founder Andreas Wagner was involved. The PV system supplied the village households, the water supply, and a health center.
