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French companies Le Triangle Horizon and SunStyle International are offering a new carport based on solar tiles for areas protected by environmental regulations.
SunStyle International, a French solar tile maker, has collaborated with Triangle Horizon, a metal structure construction company focused on photovoltaics, to design a solar carport for environmentally protected areas.
The carport features a steel structure and offers six configurations, from Y-shaped posts to butterfly designs and half-canopies, with powder-coated finishes available in various colors.
“The specifications were not to modify the original design of the metal structure,” Stéphane Garson, director of SunStyle International, told pv magazine France. “So we started with our metal fixing, which we integrated directly into the canopies.”
The two companies installed a 33 kW demonstration solar carport at Triangles industrial site, where they tested it over six months. The system uses French-made solar tiles produced in Loir-et-Cher, each composed of 23 passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells. These tiles come in black (115 Wc), terra cotta (85 Wc), and gray (85 Wc) to integrate with natural landscapes and blend into settings featuring terracotta, zinc, or slate roofs. Garson said that the company is even working on developing transparent solar tiles.
The tiles, guaranteed for 25 years, feature a 6 mm layer of textured, solar-tempered glass, are designed to withstand severe weather conditions like wind, hail, and snow. Inspired by traditional slate roofs, SunStyle’s solar tiles have gained attention from architects, design firms, and building managers, with notable installations at the Google campus in California and the French pavilion at the Dubai 2020 World Expo.
SunStyle and Triangle Horizon aim to tap into a significant niche market with their metal carport made of solar tiles. This solution targets areas where traditional solar technologies are either restricted or prohibited by urban planning regulations. The carport also qualifies for France’s landscaping integration bonus, which incentivizes the development of photovoltaic roofs that meet specific aesthetic standards. |
