Thin-film solar panel manufacturer Sunflare has released a new module that nestles in between seams of a metal standing-seam roof — the PowerFit 20.
The 60-W CIGS panels come with butyl adhesive backing that peel and stick to the metal roof.
As with all Sunflare modules, there is a bypass diode for each individual cell. When a cell is shaded, only that individual cell is inactive.
Join the waitlist for the product: https://www.sunflarearray.com/products/powerfit
News item from Sunflare
What is the narrowest standing seam these strips can be installed on? That is, what width options do you have. Also, when they are removed, do they damage the paint of the roof? How efficient are they compared to more traditional solar panels? How long will they last on a roof, and what is their rate of decline in efficiency each year? Has anyone installed them in Portland, Oregon?
Hi – it looks like PowerFit 20 requires a 15″ flat width between ridges, with no striations or intermediate ridges. This would not work with many common metal roof sheets, like our 5-rib Galvalume metal roofing with 8″ spaces between ribs. Are there any narrower strips on the market? Thank you.
Very cool! interested to read up on case studies or watch reviews on applications in New England.
Do these work on a standing seam roof with striation?
Do they Damage the standing seam when removed?
What the life span?
Many thanks
I have installed Uni-Solar panels on a standing seam metal roof… no problem if you install the panels in the shade and carry them carefully to the roof job. My system includes an SMA3000US inverter … the whole system works very well and is nearly invisible. It is 7 years old now. I can highly recommend this style of a panel. Lee Ewald
Hi…interested in your Uni-Solar experience. what town in the USA are you located? we live in the cloudy and very windy Midwest (central Illinois) and are thinking of putting on a standing seam roof in some new construction. the site also has some deciduous tree shade. many years ago, had seen Stan Ovshinsky documentary…. His system made sense but probably it lost out to sunny locales pushing crystalline wafers or there was an unforeseen problem with wear & tear. I’m not sure how to locate you to correspond.
Thank you for your reply, Charles L Sheetz
I am very interested in these thin films that fit between standing seams. But it is very difficult find a solar contractor that installs these. Any help in the New England area??
Robert,
We are in PA but love the NE, if you’d like a quote I can work one up for you!
I’d be interested in these for a family cabin in Bradford Co. how can I get in touch with you? (Business email address)
Thanks.
Hi Ben I am in New Hampshire near MA boarder. Also looking for install of metal standing seam with roll out solar. Any info would be appreciated
There is a need for products for gable roofs. Does any company produce color-matched “fake ie non-PV thin film material that can be cut diagonally to match table roof angles so that the thin-film can go all the way to the roof’s edge? In a similar vein, does any company produce custom length thin film so that the thin-film can run to the roof edge rather than stopping 2/3 of the way down. The goal is to get 100% thin-film coverage on the sun-facing roof segments
Great questions, guessing no one ever answered you. I want to do exactly what you asked and one possible work around was to run a second roll of thin film from the eves to cover the full length of each panel. It would be ideal if the substrate was clear or came in the same standard souls seam colors,
I have thin film panels on my house and barn from unisolar by standing oshenski and also conventional solar panels and I like the stick down better but they take up more space. There are no holes for the one question and you can’t remove them after installing them.
Sent my first thin film solar panel to Mt Everest when I owned a solar business called Solar Electric Systems. The panel was used to charge a battery to power an Apple IIc portable computer. Worked great and made the trip to base camp rolled up in a mailing tube.
Before carrying the product I actually went out to visit the thin film manufacturing plant in Troy, Michigan and was able to met the Thomas Edison of our time, the owner Stan Ovshinsky (Ovonics batteries too!). Stan died in 2012. He showed me the plant which was one of his pride and joys.
Still have an original Sovonics foldable thin film panel. I’ve kept it because years ago with two other experienced rock climbers (Dave and Jeff) we summited Castle Tower outside of Moab, Utah. I carried the panel up in my pack along with an AM-FM cassette player (no batteries) and played the Joshua Tree album by U2 while soaking up the rays.
As for this concept. Standing seam roofing is one of the easiest to install solar racks to. The metal roof can be susceptible to some bulging with temperature and so a press a ply panel gives me pause.
I will replace my roof with Standing Seam metal roofing soon. I will do it simply because asphalt roofing is not sustainable and is not recycled in many communities. That said my 1.2 kw array is over a decade old and replaced a smaller array that was in place for almost 20 years. I might experiment with this flex roof PV before I do the entire roof.
I agree that the racks for metal roofs work very well and this would not be needed. However, i have an issue where I don’t have spare capacity on my metal roof so I’m looking for something lighter instead. This product helps because it’s also right on the surface, so you don’t have to worry about wind loading. I think I’ll reach out to this company and see if they can help with the load calculations of my current available solar design area.
I’m trying to find out any info about specs, availability, and pricing for these. Anyone know where that might be found? Can’t find anything on the sunflare site
I really want a thin film install on my standing seam seal roof.
What is the lifespan of these types of panels?
Hello, this is not new but it is great news because the trend is really going towards the standing seam roofs or similar look.The roofing profile shown in the picture is not a standing seam stray, it is a span lock system.
The standing seam needs to be fully supported on a timber substrate. This on is not.
Can these cells be installed on the panels in a workshop to avoid foot traffic once installed.
Do these cells connected with wires? If so can the cables be run under the ridge flashing or need to be drilled through the roof?
Thank you, great product it will
Has the manufacturer tested the wind uplift of the assembly as well as the heat transfer of thermal conductivity of the steel panels resulting in loss of energy production?
Are there micro inverters built in ?
It’s a great concept if it can meet the ASTM standards required !!
How do you remove the solar panels? Would any holes be exposed?
There are no holes because the system is adhesive.
Is there a way that these can be replaced without removing the metal roofing?
The modules are adhesive but can be removed.