Flexible Rooftop Solar Panels
One of many companies vying to lower the cost of solar energy, has introduced a line of flexible panels for commercial rooftops. The company makes thin-film solar cells from a combination of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS) which is placed on a flexible foil. Its first product line is a set of solar panels designed for the flat roofs of commercial buildings. The panels are lighter than glass-encased panels and can be installed quicker than other technologies, SoloPower CEO Tim Harris said in a statement. The panels can be laminated onto rooftops and mounted on racks to tilt the panels, Harris told Gunther Portofolio. There are many companies trying to make CIGS solar cheaper than the incumbent technology of silicon solar cells. SoloPower earlier this year said that it had achieved 11 percent efficiency for its panels, which is relatively good compared with other CIGS makers. To make cells, it uses a roll-to-roll electroplating process, which the company says makes it cost-competitive with other solar manufacturers.
