Flexible solar panels - these might be an answer? (1 Viewer)

[MisterB]

MIPV Solar

MIPV is the new generation of solar technology for mobile applications. Thin & flexible solar panels for Fleet, leisure, carports & off grid.

mipvsolarpanels.co.uk

Following on from a discussion elsewhere, if anyone is considering flexible panels or low profile panels, these may be worth considering...

I've seen these in the flesh and a panel was actually rolled up into a tube of around 8" in diameter. Because they're not made of glass they seem to be truly flexible.

One member on here has them on his roof at home. They come with a decent guarantee BUT I am only passing on info re their existence not their performance!!

jongood

 

[jongood]

MIPV Solar

MIPV is the new generation of solar technology for mobile applications. Thin & flexible solar panels for Fleet, leisure, carports & off grid.

mipvsolarpanels.co.uk

Following on from a discussion elsewhere, if anyone is considering flexible panels or low profile panels, these may be worth considering...

I've seen these in the flesh and a panel was actually rolled up into a tube of around 8" in diameter. Because they're not made of glass they seem to be truly flexible.

One member on here has them on his roof at home. They come with a decent guarantee BUT I am only passing on info re their existence not their performance!!

jongood

They ve been great on the house, BIPVCo the manufacturer claimed that they perform better in low light than conventional panels ( something to do with diodes) but I have no way of knowing how ordinary panels would have performed under the same conditions . But for the interested, my 6.5KW array generated 4508Kwh inthe running 12 months. in Shropshire on the wrong side of a bank.

Due to a cockup with the roof spec (manufacturers agent not mine) I do have a couple of spare panels here if someone is close and wants to see them in the flesh, but they're stuck to 3m+ steel panels. I have wondered about fixing one of them to the motorhome roof and see what it does but they are quite long. I would say that that there shape is one of the drawbacks for motorhome use as they tend to be long and narrow.

The other good thing about them is that although owned by Tata the panels are totally produced in UK.

 

[jongood]

We chose them for the appearance or lack of

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[cyberyacht]

They are about double the size of normal panels for the same output. When roof space is at a premium, they are a non-starter.

 

[bigtwin]

We chose them for the appearance or lack of

Did you forget to put up the ‘after’ photo?

Ian

 

[jockaneezer]

Do you know if they require an air gap under them ?

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[BusyBuilder]

I followed a motorhome at the weekend which had 2 panels stuck to the back of it vertically.

 

[MisterB]

They are about double the size of normal panels for the same output. When roof space is at a premium, they are a non-starter.

yes but the point is that in some circumstances they might be ideal ...... if people dont know about them, they cant consider them and dismiss them as unsuitable or consider them and decide they meet their requirements/suitability. i think the fact that you can walk on them once installed (not on the curved part of a roof obviously) is actually a massive plus point !!1

i am limited with roof space, but mainly because of the curved part at the front of my motorhome, in my circumstances, if i was looking to start all over again then i would certainly consider them,

jockaneezer - from what i was told on tuesday, they are installed direct onto your motorhome roof, with no air gap - though of course its better if you confirm personally.

 

[jongood]

Do you know if they require an air gap under them ?

I think they need the gap on the house because the structure is sips panels.

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[bubble63]

Bonded a large one on a curved fibreglass roof , it failed after 1 season, nightmare to remove, ended up fitting a conventional one over it , never again

 

[jongood]

Bonded a large one on a curved fibreglass roof , it failed after 1 season, nightmare to remove, ended up fitting a conventional one over it , never again

The ones we re talking about here or one of the sh*te chinese ones?

 

[MisterB]

Bonded a large one on a curved fibreglass roof , it failed after 1 season, nightmare to remove, ended up fitting a conventional one over it , never again

One of these ?? These are very different to the ones sold on eBay/Amazon and I assume lots of other 'outlets'

MIPV Solar

MIPV is the new generation of solar technology for mobile applications. Thin & flexible solar panels for Fleet, leisure, carports & off grid.

mipvsolarpanels.co.uk

Perhaps flexible solar panels are all equal, but perhaps some are more equal than others .....

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[Raul]

These are amorphous solar cell, not crystalline. The ones that fail are the crystalline cells bonded and encapsulated with raisin without the glass, to make the semi flexible to max 30 deg bend. Some fail even at 15 deg.
The roll it’s amorphus, that requires double the surface compared to mono crystalline, for the same power output. First generation had a 5-6 year lifespan, before degrading below 70% output. The more recent are better, don’t suffer from heat but still requires larger footprint at 12-15% efficiency. Mono crystalline is already at 22%, and still improving.