Europe's first production facility for flexible vehicle photovoltaics starts in Zwenkau

The company uses highly innovative production technology in the production hall, which covers over 12,000 square meters and creates 120 jobs. The solar modules produced in the new factory are particularly suitable for commercial and leisure vehicles. They supply electrical consumers in both diesel and electric vehicles with solar power, thus increasing their range and extending the service life of the batteries.

• High market potential

Following the start of the production line, the solar modules will be supplied to over 15 partners and customers in Europe, Africa and South America and integrated into camping vehicles, refrigerated trailers, buses and truck cabins. Further partnerships are about to be concluded.

Pavel Kuch from MAN Truck & Bus CZ: " We at MAN Truck & Bus CZ see great potential in vehicle-integrated photovoltaics, as it improves the efficiency and sustainability of our vehicles. By generating part of their own energy, buses and trucks can reduce their operating costs, increase their range and optimize battery performance. In collaboration with OPES Mobility, we want to put this innovative technology on the road."

Dr. Martin Heinrich from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE: "We estimate the technical potential of solar modules for commercial vehicles in the EU at 70 gigawatts, which corresponds to around 6 million trucks and 30 million vans. The average savings potential per vehicle is 10-15 percent of CO2 emissions."

• Pioneering technology from Germany

OPES Solar Mobility has spent years developing the new solar modules together with research partners such as the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. The company uses its own patents and customized machinery for production.

"With our innovative and robust matrix architecture for vehicle solar modules, we ensure reliable operation in practice and generate significantly more electricity than conventional technology," says Robert Händel, Managing Director of OPES Solar Mobility.

The reason for the increased yield is the special interconnection of the solar cells: They are connected to each other in a grid-like pattern. This means that many cells remain active even if individual areas are covered - for example by roof structures, shade or dirt. This significantly reduces the energy losses that occur with conventional technology due to even the smallest shading.

"OPES is industrializing a new technology that is already generating broad international demand. The modules are particularly resistant to the vibrations and impacts that occur in vehicles. This means that photovoltaics can be integrated into commercial vehicles worldwide," Händel adds.

• About OPES Solar Mobility

OPES Solar Mobility is a leading manufacturer of solar solutions for vehicles. The O.Motion solar modules are specially developed for the requirements of the vehicle sector. With its engineering team, the company supports the integration of photovoltaics in vehicles and offers system-optimized solutions for power electronics - from low-voltage to high-voltage. From its Zwenkau plant, OPES Solar Mobility supplies vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to the automotive industry and enables both the integration of solar technology ex works and retrofitting.