A company based in Singapore is going to produce new photovoltaic panels in France. These panels have the particularity of being adhesive and therefore offer greater compatibility with different types of roofing material.
Marketing in 2022
Did you know that there is one european innovation fund dedicated to developing low-carbon solutions? As explained PV Magazine in an article of 29 July 2019, part of the 118 million euros of this fund is paid to the company Maxeon Solar Technologies. If the amount of this grant remains unknown, the Singapore-based company – of which Total has a majority stake – is one of the 32 beneficiaries.
Maxeon Solar Technologies’ niche is none other than the production of photovoltaic panels that stick directly on roofs. The grant will be used to set up a production in France, in the town of Porcelette (Moselle). According to forecasts, the product named Maxeon Air will be launched in 2022 after the implementation of some pilot projects in the Union from 2021.
Lighter and easier to install
The importance of the Maxeon Air panels is their ability to be mounted on roofs that are not suitable for this type of device during normal times. Classic panels usually weigh 12 kg/m² and some roofs cannot support this weight. The Maxeon Air does not use glass or aluminum. They also do not require support, ballast and other fixings. So the company promises half the weight, ie 6 kg/m². Due to their lower weight and their adhesive strength, Maxeon Air adapts more easily to roofs whose shapes are irregular. Usually, traditional panels need a fairly flat surface. Moreover, the glue in question – the nature of which remains a mystery – “innovative and ready to use” according to the manufacturer. This one would not need drilling from the roof.
Maxeon Solar Technologies claims that: 21% of the light received by the panels is converted into electricity. This is a satisfactory conversion rate. Let’s also mention the fact that the 4mm thick are certified against fire. However, this technology will have to prove itself in practice, especially in the field of temperature control. Indeed, when the cells warm up, they have tendency to decrease their performance. However, the Maxeon Air will not be able to cool down like conventional panels, under which the air circulates, due to their type of mounting.
