Ikea sells its own balcony power plant for self-assembly.
From this week on, Ikea stores will offer a DIY balcony solar power kit for a small price. It comes with a portable battery included.
Smaller two-ton class vans equipped with 800 watts of solar power on the roof can save up to 9% of fuel in practice, according to OPES.
OPES Solar Mobility presents a new generation of flexible special solar modules for vehicles at the Smarter E 2025 fair. "O.Motion" is the first product series to be produced in the company's new German plant in Zwenkau starting this autumn.
The technology mix aims to provide high solar power, durability, and integration in vehicle construction. The "Matrix" architecture used in the series module for the first time can achieve additional yields of up to 90% compared to traditional modules under the same conditions, such as changing shading. The development involved two Fraunhofer Institutes and various vehicle manufacturers.
The new solar module is ideal for the growing e-mobility in logistics and leisure sectors, according to OPES. Initially, the focus is on using it in conventional diesel vehicles with larger roof surfaces.
Modern utility and leisure vehicles have an increasing number of electrical main and auxiliary consumers such as cooling units, lifting platforms, air conditioning, and refrigerators on board. These are currently powered by the diesel engine or alternator, leading to increased fuel consumption.
By utilizing photovoltaics on the vehicle's surface, solar power can now supply the consumers, reducing the load on the alternator or engine. This significantly decreases operating costs and CO2 emissions.
"Smaller two-ton class vans equipped with 800 watts of solar power can save up to 9% of fuel in practice. We estimate the market volume in the EU to be over 20 gigawatts of solar power per year," says Robert Händel, CEO of OPES Solar Mobility.
A typical truck trailer can generate a power of five kW, equivalent to a household solar panel system. At the same time, battery life is extended, and deep discharge is avoided.
The technology mix addresses several challenges simultaneously. Vibrations and shocks constantly impact solar modules on vehicles, while dirt accumulation is higher than in traditional solar installations. Additionally, the modules are subject to constantly changing shading. O.Motion combines various technologies to tackle these challenges.
The core innovation lies in the novel "Matrix Architecture," where solar cells are arranged in a "brick-like" structure. The cell interconnection completely omits traditional solder strips, using a highly conductive special adhesive for electrical connection instead.
The Matrix minimizes resistance losses and maximizes the active cell area per square meter. This allows for additional yields of up to 30% on the same surface compared to conventional flexible modules, explains Händel. The reduced sensitivity to shading further increases practical output.
The new adhesive connections not only ensure excellent conductivity but also high durability, a crucial advantage for mobile applications with vibrations and high temperatures.