Spanish building renovated with photovoltaic railings

Glass processing specialist Saint-Gobain Glassolutions has developed its first integrated solar power project utilizing solar railings.

The solar railings have been implemented on a residential building located in the port city of Cádiz, southwestern Spain. The building, built in 1966, exhibited deficiencies including a lack of thermal insulation in the façade and roof, low-energy-performance window frames and numerous thermal bridges that negatively affected its energy efficiency.

The solar railing installation is known as the Conecta Solar solution, jointly developed by Saint-Gobain Glassolutions, Soria-based building-integrated photovoltaic company Onyx Solar and Comenza, a Galician company specializing in the manufacture of glass and stainless-steel railings.

The Conecta Solar solution received an award at the NAN Architecture Awards 2025 for best photovoltaic material. The range is available in both crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon, with different configurations, power outputs, and design options.

The crystalline silicon version is offered in configurations of 156, 112, 84, and 75 Wp/m² with light transmission of 20%, 44%, 24–100%, and 44–100%, respectively. Conecta Solar in amorphous silicon is available in power outputs of 58, 40, 34, and 28 Wp/m², with light transmission levels of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%, respectively.

According to the building’s Energy Performance Certificate, the installation will provide an estimated annual generation of 15,000 kWh of renewable electricity for self-consumption.