Golden PV panels for balcony solar systems

From pv magazine Germany

Over the past few months, Swiss Renova has been renovating a multifamily structure dating back to 1963, in line with the passive housing standard. The Swiss construction company paid particular attention to sustainability and energy efficiency, with Balco Balkonkonstruktionen integrating 240 special solar modules into the building’s 96 balconies.

The modules, which offer different levels of transparency and come in several colors, were supplied by German panel manufacturer a2-solar. The company said that it adjusted the glass and embedding foils according to the client’s preferences.

The modules meet all the guidelines of Switzerland’s Energy Saving Ordinance, as well as the aesthetic and architectural requirements of the building, the company claims. The monocrystalline solar modules were installed below the balconies. The distance between the cells and the edges of the modules was kept to a minimum, a2-solar said. The front sides of the modules were made with structured glass and dot grids, in combination with gray embedding film, to give the PV elements a golden color, the company added.

The solar modules offer a combined output of 46 kW. They are expected to generate up to 30,000 kWh of solar power per year, with all electricity to be used by the building for self-consumption purposes.

A2-solar said it specially designed the panels with Swiss Renova at the client’s request. Balco Balkonkonstruktionen then integrated them into the balconies. The prefabricated balcony elements could be assembled as complete systems during the renovation process, making the system particularly suitable for building renovations, the German company claimed.