The HTC 5 building on High Tech Campus Eindhoven has been fitted with a unique solar panel system. The solar panels are arranged like 'ivy' around a corner of the building. This brings cladding buildings - effectively making them one big solar panel - a step closer.
The project is a collaboration between TNO, INBO Architects, Van Der Leegte Werkt, Flexipol Composites and High Tech Campus Eindhoven. The system installed by the parties at HTC 5 is made up of fifty triangular facade panels. The design is based on ivy, a self-attaching plant that grows against walls or fences.
Visually attractive solar panels
The aim of the project is to visualise the complexity of a 3D buckled and curved shape. The total system has a capacity of 6.5 kilowatt peak. "This project shows how we can clad several existing buildings in our landscape with visually attractive solar panels, and thus generate more solar energy," explains Wim Soppe, Senior Scientist at TNO.
Several parties are involved in the project. TNO is the project leader. Together with Van Der Leegte Werkt, TNO manufactured the solar panels for the project. INBO Architects realised the design, while Flexipol Composites supplied the composite elements. HTC Site Management facilitated the building and the permits.
The design and construction of the system took a year. Over the next year, the parties will closely monitor the system. Among other things, they will map the yield under different conditions.
Lots of potential
TNO points to the potential of the system. In the Netherlands, for instance, 2,200 square kilometres of facade surface are available. 660 square kilometres of this is suitable for generating solar energy. These locations offer room for the installation of a total capacity of 58 gigawatt peak. By comparison, the combined capacity of all solar power installation in the Netherlands in 2022 was 18.8 gigawatt peak.
However, the benefits are broader. For instance, TNO points out that more space is available on facades than on roofs. In addition, the use of facade panels allows for a better spread of output over a day, which can reduce grid congestion.
Matching individual facade situations
Variations are also possible within the systems in terms of sizes, shapes, colours and transparency of solar panels. This allows adapting solar systems to individual façade situations. The parties involved cite aesthetically designed facades, works of art or logos as examples of applications. In theory, a more attractive design should evoke less resistance than the appearance of standard solar panels.
The parties involved do note that the variation can reduce the yield per panel. However, because many more surfaces in the built environment can generate solar energy, the approach provides a net gain and can greatly increase the total amount of energy generated.
Solar panels on hardened dikes
TNO has long been involved in projects exploring new possibilities for installing solar panels. Another example is dykes, of which there are a great many in the Netherlands. For instance, as part of the ‘Sun on Dykes’ project, TNO investigated four unique dyke-specific solar systems. This research shows that paved dykes are best suited for the installation of solar panels; they can be used for this purpose without the need for much further research. More information on this research is available here.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Image: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay
