(Published November 2007)

Systaic’s new photovoltaic panel design has been developed for high volume production. BBG has been contracted to produce 6,500 modules for early market introduction. It will deliver production equipment for large-scale production to Webasto Solar at Landsberg/Lech early next year.

Webasto Solar, a joint venture between Webasto and Systaic, is scheduled to manufacture up to 260,000 of the units each year from 2008, equivalent to an annual power capacity of 36 MW.

The Systaic photovoltaic module measures 1,050mm by 1,050mm and comprises 36 silicon cells, which are referred to as wafers. The new PU frame provides a number of benefits over conventional, typically aluminium, enclosures, including an integrated “click & connect” mounting system which eliminates the need for cables and bolts.

The frame also accommodates all electrical and mechanical connectors, which are encapsulated within the PU during the production process to provide protection from the elements. And because the edges are flush with the panel surface, there is less likelihood of dirt or leaf mould building up to reduce wafer efficiency.

While this a new area for BBG, the technology it has used is tried and tested in automotive glazing applications, where it has a 15-year track record. “From an engineering point of view, there are no major differences between the encapsulation of photovoltaic elements and the encapsulation of vehicle glazing”, says BBG managing partner Hans Brandner.

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