PowerPly 400 by Lumeta Inc. is one of the first “peel n’ stick” types of workable home solar power systems. Using monocrystalline technology (or PV), the system insures maximum energy output per square foot of roof area.
The poly-Si thin-film solar cell on glass (with solid-phase crystallization of evaporated a-Si) contains a DuPont™ Tefzel front sheet and fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) substrate that allows module flexibility, yet provides the rigidity needed to assure module strength.
According to Lumeta officials, the system can be installed in 60 percent of the time a traditional solar PV system requires, and eliminates the rack mounting and associated labor expense costs by up to half.
System weight is also about 40 percent less than rack-mounted PV systems, or 1.9 pounds per square foot (9.2kg/sq meter), and the low-height design – applicable to low-pitched roofs (2:12, as opposed to the 5:12 common on most homes) – prevents water pooling which can ruin roofs and modules.
The adhesive backing material also plays a role in energy efficiency, as well as eliminating the need for rack mounting systems, which require roof perforations that can damage roofs. And the “sticky” properties of this adhesive, which is compatible with metals, modified bitumens (tar) and single-ply roofing membranes, exceed all wind uplift requirements for roof-mounted solar modules.
Pricing is not yet in place, but PowerPly can be purchased directly from Lumeta in quantities greater than 250 kW. The product is currently being manufactured by Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd in their BIPV-tooled factory in Wuxi, China.
BIPV, one of the newest and “sexiest” forms of solar energy to come along, promises to convert buildings from energy hogs to energy hacks and, in the process, rescue the U.S. from its dependence on coal (currently 50 percent of power generation) as well as foreign (Mideast) oil.
Back on July 13, Lumeta, Inc. announced it had received CSA International certification for its PowerPly 400W building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar module – a certification which meets Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety certification UL1703. CSA is a leading international product tester and certification entity.
Lumeta Inc. is one of four subsidiaries of DRI Companies, a California leader in roofing and solar technologies.
4 comments
If you can eliminate the ugly rack mounting systems and have the panel sit flat on the roof (without the danger of blowing off), I think you may have a winner here. What most homeowners don’t like are #1 The amount of time to get even on the ROI and #2 How the solar system looks on their roof.
Definitely sounds like a winner to me. This just might be an invention to watch out for.
We just filmed the installation of 650 lumeta powerply modules atop the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona and it was amazing how easy the process was. The peel and stick adhesive and the lack a big heavy metal mounting system saved a ton of time and the best part is that from the ground, you cannot even see a single panel. They indeed have a winner with the PowerPly system.
This is the new technology man, i will start to learn how to put solar panels because it will be in the future alot.
very nice website by the way.
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