The global demand for energy continues to rise. Increasingly, this growing need is being met by renewable energy sources. One of the most promising innovations in this field are bifacial solar cells integrated into photovoltaic (PV) panels. These panels generate more energy, are more cost-efficient, and can even be custom-produced. Moreover, they open the door to a wide range of new applications, particularly in architecture and urban infrastructure. The Belgian textile industry plays a surprising but crucial role in this development.
Innovative collaboration between industry and imec
Building-integrated PV solutions (BIPV) do not mount solar panels on buildings, but rather integrate them directly into the structure: think of facades, windows, and even bridges. Although the concept has existed for some time, technical challenges have long hampered its realisation.
To overcome these challenges, experts in solar energy, chemistry, industrial automation, and textile technology joined forces. This multidisciplinary collaboration led to a major breakthrough: a multi-thread connection technology, using woven textile structures to link the solar cells within the panel. The result? Higher efficiency, greater flexibility, and aesthetic possibilities for a wide range of architectural applications.
“The project was particularly challenging, due to the constraints of the encapsulant material and the need to maintain the linearity of the fabric."
Promising future
Although the project is still in the development phase, ambitions are high. The aim is to produce both a standard PV module with 60 cells and a BIPV module ready for large-scale pilot projects. If successful, this technology could make a significant contribution to sustainable energy generation and innovative architecture.
More information about VDS Weaving.
More information on the integration of PV in construction (BIPV), check out SOLTECH, our partner in this project.
Info on the imec website. (in Dutch)
