French solar company S'tile has unveiled a new solar module solution for repowering and revamping rooftop PV systems at the Energaia trade show in Montpellier, southern France.
“We develop custom solar panels for replacing modules in existing photovoltaic systems,” the company's project manager, Gaetan Lorrillere, told pv magazine. “When the original system has strict dimensional constraints, we redesign panels to match the exact size and required electrical characteristics. In repowering projects, this also allows us to increase output by using modern, more efficient solar cells.”
For straightforward one-to-one replacements, the company replicates the electrical performance of the original modules. “Few companies in France offer this level of customization, so we fill that niche,” Lorrillere added.
The custom panels cost slightly more than standard modules, depending on volume. “For larger quantities, we are around €0.20 ($0.23)/W. More complex, low-volume designs can reach €0.20–€0.30/W,” the project manager said.
S'tile assembles part of its modules in Poitiers, in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, using Chinese cells based on various technologies. “We tend to use PERC cells when system capacity cannot be increased, such as in revamping projects, and TOPCon or back-contact technologies when repowering is required,” Lorrillere explained.
For higher-volume orders, S'tile relies on its long-standing manufacturing partners in China. “We select all materials and design the full internal structure; our partners execute the production. The guarantee is provided by us, although we naturally depend on our Chinese partners for components,” Lorrillere noted.
All of the company’s products are fully customized, with no standard range offered. For each client request, it creates a dedicated technical datasheet with the relevant specifications.
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