Thin Film PV

[hrc]

Hi all,

Due to planning I've had to submit for a dormer bungalow which has a standard 35deg slate/tile roof front but a 7deg roof (full width) to the rear.

I found a couple of 'old' systems of adhesive thin film PV panels about 5m long - just my span - great! No longer available

I see there is a lot of research and progress with thin film but the only systems I can find all seem to be commercial.

The technology appeals because i'm on a virtually flat roof and the thin film appears to be very forgiving of shading and low angles,

Has anyone any info of suppliers (not installers) or used them or anything?

H

[Jeremy Harris]

We looked closely at using thin film on to a raised seam metal roof, in fact that's what our original planning approval was for.  We were forced to change to all-black in roof panels with slate because the thin film stuff was no longer available.

I checked again recently, as I was thinking of using it along a covered walkway we're going to add to the side of the house, but it seems that it's still unavailable.

I think that the main problem is that ordinary panels are so cheap that thin film systems, with their lower efficiency, can't compete and so aren't being promoted.

[hrc]

Agreed that the systems that appear on youtube videos (that first attracted me) seemed to be the answer on a relatively shallow pitch, on, say, a metal roof. These were no longer available.

There seems to be a lot of progress in obtaining 'high' yields from thin film with the best now reaching 19-20% efficiencies, better low angle and better shading performances. They appear to be used a lot in commercial applications especially in PV farms, unfortunately this does not appear to be coming thru to the 'domestic' market

Oh well, maybe when I finally get to build .....

In the meantime the alternative seems to be the in-roof systems