Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. and Hydro Building Systems (HBS) announced plans for the development of a new Brise Soleil product line that incorporates thin film flexible solar modules manufactured by Ascent Solar. A variety of designs and prototypes for the new product line are planned to be introduced to the market in November 2007 at the BATIMAT international building exposition in Paris.
According to the companies, the Brise Soleil product line can either overhang or be louvers-mounted externally to buildings, reducing the direct radiation from the sun to keep buildings cool. These shading devices include solar photovoltaics, thus simultaneously limiting the overheating in buildings while converting the sun's energy into electrical power.
‘By exploiting our material's unique ability to conform into building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products, Ascent Solar is opening many new opportunities for solar applications when compared to more traditional rooftop or solar farm installations,’ says Joseph McCabe, Ascent Solar's business development vice president. ‘BIPV products become an integral part of the building structure rather than an additional bolt-on attachment. This not only reduces the installation cost, but provides additional surface area to generate more power. The beauty in the flexible thin film materials is that we can address both the traditional PV market applications and create entirely new markets where traditional rigid frame PV cannot even play.’
‘HBS has dedicated a new division to focus on the smart integration of the Ascent Solar solutions into their product portfolio,’ says HBS development director Werner Jager. ‘The dedicated focus of the HBS solar solutions is underlined by their intention to start selling solar products beginning in 2008.’
Ascent Solar Technologies is based in Littleton, Colo., and HBS is a division of Norsk Hydro, headquartered in Oslo, Norway.