Students of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara (UPT) will have access, starting this spring, to a state-of-the-art photovoltaic laboratory, developed by Darcom Energy in partnership with Victron Energy. The new educational space is conceived as a functional micro-grid, where theory is transformed into practice and where future specialists can work directly with the technologies already in use on the renewable energy market.
“This is already the third system we are donating, because we want to give students access to professional equipment and create a micro-grid to demonstrate our solutions,” explained Cornel Eftenoiu, founder and CEO of Darcom Energy, “In Romania, there are big challenges related to the national grid, and we are meeting these problems with our systems.”
The lab integrates 12 photovoltaic panels with an installed power of almost 5 kWp, together with lithium-iron-phosphate storage batteries, in a fully functional hybrid system. Students can experience real operating scenarios – off-grid or grid-connected – and learn about smart energy management, storage and conversion.
“We have the opportunity to show the students what happens with photovoltaic panels, how many can be put in series, how many in parallel, how they can be integrated into systems and how to convert energy from direct current to alternating current,” said Prof. dr. eng. Florin Molnar-Matei, from UPT.
Beyond technology transfer, the project is also an example of effective collaboration between academia and industry, at a time when energy microgrids are gaining ground across Europe. Such solutions do not replace traditional grids, but bring flexibility, autonomy and energy security to communities. “Our aim is to actively contribute to the training of future specialists, encourage applied research and support the transition towards a modern and sustainable energy system,” emphasised Cornel Eftenoiu.
The UPT project is coordinated by the Darcom Energy team – Silviu Lupu, Cristian Vasilica and Cristian Pîrvu – and complements a wider endeavour of the company to support technical education in Romania. Every semester, the lab will train several hundred final-year and master’s students, preparing them concretely for the challenges of the energy industry.
For Darcom Energy, the next step is to consolidate the maintenance and servicing of the thousands of photovoltaic systems already installed in Romania. “We want to offer specialised, fast and reliable support, both to direct customers and to partners who do not have the internal resources to manage these processes efficiently,” announced the company’s CEO.
With 15 years of experience and a team of more than 120 employees, Darcom Energy positions itself as a true One Stop Shop in the renewable energy sector in Romania, integrating in its portfolio solutions for consultancy, design, installation, maintenance and technical education.
These days, Darcom Energy company is present with its own stand at Romexpo, within the exhibition Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec, Hall 2.