“Terracotta” solar: New 400W PV modules blend in with red clay rooftops

Leading Austrian solar PV manufacturer Sonnenkraft has unveiled a new 400W glass-glass TOPCon solar panel that blends aesthetically with tiled terracotta roofs, a significant step in particular for listed buildings and monument protection.

Sonnekraft, which was founded in 1993, has long been seen as a pioneer in the industry, and has once again launched a pioneering product.

The new “Terracotta” solar modules use a coloured encapsulation material which creates the eponymous red colouring, allowing the panel to “blend in visually homogeneously and are almost unrecognizable as solar modules.”

The colouring results in a very low encapsulation loss which, in combination with the latest TOPCon solar cell technology, results in a module output of 400Wp.

The glass-glass panels also boast an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and are fit within a 40mm aluminium frame. Double glazed with building authority approval from the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt), the panels also offer hail resistance class 4.

Sonnekraft hopes that, in addition in blending in with more residential rooftops, its new terracotta solar panels will make solar an option for listed buildings and monuments which often have particularly strict requirements.

Specifically, according to Sonnekraft, “On the one hand, it enables the installation of photovoltaic systems on buildings where this previously seemed impossible due to monument protection regulations. On the other hand, it preserves the cultural and historical identity of these buildings.”

“With our new solar module ‘Terracotta’, which is produced in Austria, we would like to make a contribution to ensuring that monument protection and sustainable energy production go hand in hand,” said Peter Prasser, managing director of Sonnenkraft.

“The terracotta module is also the perfect solution for design-savvy customers with red tiled roofs and contributes to local added value.”