Midsummer Partners With SopraSolar For Solar Roof Product For Low-Load Bearing Roof

Midsummer Partners With SopraSolar For Solar Roof Product For Low-Load Bearing Roof. Photo: Pexels

Swedish thin film solar panels manufacturer Midsummer has entered into a collaboration with France-based SopraSolar, a subsidiary of Soprema, manufacturers of roofing materials. Soprema’s subsidiary will integrate Midsummer’s thin film solar pane membranes, which opens up a very large market for the new product.

According to the media statement, with Midsummer panels, Soprasolar will be able to offer solar panels to customers whose roofs cannot withstand the weight of the silicon panel product the company also offers. Soprasolar’s systems have been installed on more than 15 million m.sq of flat roofs, for about 750 MWp of solar panels, mainly silicon panels, in France with roofing material installations, stated the press release by Midsummer.

However, the company estimates that it has turned down about the same amount of solar cell capacity because the customer has not been able to withstand the weight of its silicon solution. Midsummer’s products will enable Soprasolar to offer solar cell solutions to all its customers those with weaker (low load-bearing) roofs.

“The market is huge for solar cell-integrated roof material solutions that can be installed even on weaker roofs, which is the case in most of the world’s coun roofs that do not have to withstand the weight of snow,” said Eric Jaremalm, CEO, Midsummer. Further he added, “We are very happy and full of anticipation about the collaboration of this European construction giant, which can open up a previously unexploited market for solar cells on low load-bearing roofs. It can create a new European and at the same time potentially increase the share of solar energy in the European electricity mix.”

Soprema has over a hundred production facilities worldwide for the production of roofing materials made from bitumen (a common roofing material made from asphalt/tar that is waterproof and used for flat or gently sloping roofs), TPO membranes (a synthetic roof coating that is also used primarily for flat roofs) and similar products. With the certification finalised, Soprasolar will market Midsummer’s and Soprema’s joint solution not only to customers in France but also in targeted countries where roofs from Soprema are being offered. Soprasolar and Midsummer have spent the last year certifying Midsummer’s solar panels as an integrated unit in Soprema’s roof membrane at CSTB.