Colorful photovoltaic panels Comments

Transforming buildings into an energy production center is in tune with the times.Some even offer to generalize the use of photovoltaic panels on heritage renovations.

A solution from Switzerland could be interesting to meet this request.Solaxess has indeed succeeded in industrializing a color film that changes the appearance of these.Explanations with Sébastien Eberhard, his CEO.

What is for you the main brake on the development of photovoltaics?

First of all, for me, there should be no brakes, because photovoltaics is one of the energies of tomorrow whose adoption must on the contrary be facilitated, and this today.The observation that we have made is that, if the financial argument is often put forward, an essential reality for which we do not find panels everywhere is their unsightly side.

Whether by the choice of architects or the need to comply with town planning regulations, when they are mounted, they are often hidden.This is valid for the roof of buildings, but also for solar power plants, built away in distant fields, rather than integrated into the place of consumption.

What solution do you offer?

Starting from this observation, we decided to industrialize the work of the CSEM of Neuchâtel.They have indeed developed a film that settles in the panel at the time of its manufacture so that the latter offers a rendering of the desired color.

After three years of research and reliability, we have today a product which is perfectly to the point and which gives complete satisfaction.We have the capacity to meet 95% of facade colors requests with white and light colors in our catalog.

Being the manufacturer of these films, we turn to solar panel manufacturers to broadcast this product.At the development level, the next steps are: on the one hand the darker colors and then the possibility of equipping solar panels already installed.

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Does putting a film on the panel not reducing its performance?

Indeed, we are on a reduction in performance ranging from 15 to 37%.White being the most difficult color to exploit because it reflects a large amount of light.As for the black, it is extremely difficult to place and has the drawback of a high temperature which can contribute to the formation of urban heat island.

In addition, the limitation of performance does not only come from the film.From the moment it is possible to put a solar panel on the facade for example, its orientation is not as optimal as on a roof.

For this reason our product has been developed to better couple the light with large angles of incidence, which is the case most of the time.This allows panels integrating our technology to improve their specific performance and produce more energy over the year.

Are there any use limits?

First of all, I think that this type of product should not be considered as a photovoltaic panel, but as a construction element that produces energy.

Today, almost no facade presents this characteristic.The same goes for terraces or any other application that we can imagine in the future.The solar panel with a filter can, by its resistance, adapt to most uses.

It is enough to size the protective glass, always present on such a product, depending on the place.

As for the weight, it is not a significant constraint because many facade coatings are relatively heavy, I am thinking in particular of those based on granite or glass.

What are the uses you imagine in the near future?

For the time being, the main use we plan is on the facades.A photovoltaic panel can be installed there on a properly dimensioned subcontrust.It is thus possible to use it on new as well as renovation, even heritage.

We are working today with fifteen certified manufacturers.Thus, our film teams both solar panels with standard sizes and tailor-made elements.

We have taken a particular care to make it very simple its implementation and storage by manufacturers who wish to use it.It comes in the form of rollers and the width of 1.65m corresponds to those of the most common panels on the market.