Opens in a new window

Matrix shingle modules are of great use for all applications where maximum space utilization, shading tolerance and appealing aesthetics are important.

© Fraunhofer ISE

Solar shingles are a fairly new concept in photovoltaics. They are designed to fit together like masonry bricks, offset from each other. That makes them ideal for application on facades and irregular planes enabling the maximum surface area of a building to be used to generate energy. For a number of years, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has been refining the technology to maximise its efficiency and aesthetic appeal. Now – after just seven months of development with a project consortium – it has announced their Solar Matrix Shingle systems are ready for largescale series production.

"Matrix shingle modules are predestined for integrated applications, especially in building facades and for all applications where maximum space utilization, shading tolerance and appealing aesthetics are important," summarises Achim Kraft, head of the Interconnection Technologies group at Fraunhofer ISE in a press release. The stringer system linking the compact modules together is a proprietary technology developed at ISE as part of a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Furthermore, the matrix modules can be produced in a wide variety of colours using the photonic coating technology MorphoColor®. They can therefore be blended in with masonry or tiles or used to create aesthetically appealing architectural accents.

The matrix modules will be manufactured in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, by M10 Solar Equipment – a joint venture between M10 Industries and Zahoranksy. A terracotta-tinted matrix photovoltaic module has already been showcased at the trade fair Intersolar Europe 2022 in the booths of Fraunhofer ISE and M10 Solar Equipment.