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  • 1.  Thinner than a pencil!

    Posted 12-29-2021 02:20 PM
    Interesting! As they say. Happy new solar year!

    Are these the thinnest solar panels in the world?
    euronews remove preview
    Are these the thinnest solar panels in the world?
    Solar energy users save as much as 75 million barrels of oil and 35 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
    View this on euronews >


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    mark armstrong
    mark.e.armstrong.1101@gmail.com
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  • 2.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 12-29-2021 06:58 PM
    Edited by Ella Nielsen 12-31-2021 04:24 PM
    This post was removed


  • 3.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    Silver
    Contributor
    Posted 12-30-2021 11:18 AM
    Edited by william fitch 12-30-2021 11:20 AM
    "yet around 40 percent of existing commercial buildings can't go solar because most solar panels are too heavy. "
    WHAT!! Are you kidding me. That can not be correct. The sqft load of solar panels is around 2 to 2.5 lb sqft. That is nothing for a added roof load, even at the residential level let alone commercial which has higher structural requirements. I would use caution about thinner because thinner on the frame translates to weaker apples to apples. I would be concerned about locations with high snow levels or high wind unless they are using much thicker tempered glass, etc.. to make up for reduced frame height/thickness. Additionally, small frames means less to "grab" on to when attaching the panel to the actual roof mounting hardware.


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    william fitch
    Owner
    www.WeAreSolar.com
    fcfcfc@ptd.net
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  • 4.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    ASES Award Winner
    Posted 12-31-2021 11:59 AM
    The 40% number is NOT a peeer-reviewed number.
    Most studies have it around 17%, and in my own experience,
      I think that number is closer to reality.

    And frankly, if roof joists can't hold solar, it means. the roof
      needs a replacement anyway. And with higher wind and more 
      extreme weather from climate change .. that is important to know.

    There have been some studies in the hurricane-prone southeastern
      USA, that show roofs get damaged less during high-wind and
      hurricanes that have solar water heating and/or photovoltaics.

    Happy New Year all. Regards, Scott

     
    Scott Sklar
    President
    The Stella Group, Ltd.
    706 North Ivy Street, Arlington, VA 22201
    VA Phone:  703-522-1195 (3049 direct)
    E-mail:   solarsklar@aol.com
     
    The Stella Group, Ltd.. is a global strategic technology optimization owner's rep firm for 
    clean energy users and companies, with a focus on system standardization, 
    modularity and web-enabled diagnostics.  Scott Sklar is an Adjunct Professor at 
    The George Washington University teaching three unique interdisciplinary 
    sustainable energy courses, and an Affiliated Professor with CATIE, an 
    international graduate university in Costa Rica offering graduate degrees
    on sustainability. Sklar is the Sustainable Energy Director at GWU's Environment 
    and Energy Management Institute (EEMI).





  • 5.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    Silver
    Contributor
    Posted 12-31-2021 12:33 PM
    That all makes sense. Adding structural "pieces" plus another physical layer would protect below. And as mentioned, its just going to get worse so standards and possibly basic design might require an update for "normal" roof codes.

    Happy holidays... Gened 19.325 MWH's this year. Only off 50 KWH's from last years record....

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    william fitch
    Owner
    www.WeAreSolar.com
    fcfcfc@ptd.net
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  • 6.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    Posted 12-31-2021 12:57 PM
    Reading the article, I got the impression that the "thinner" panels were actually flexible and designed to be adhered to the roof, similar to the old "peel n stick", even though the photo showed a racking system.  

    --
    HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
    Caroll Marston

    Marston Consulting
    Innovative Roof Solutions
    AceClamp Sales and Engineering
    4156 Buckingham Ct.
    Southport, NC 28461

    860-428-4970 mobile
    860-481-4880 Skype






  • 7.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    Posted 12-31-2021 01:51 PM
    With flat roofs, and ballasted PV systems, this is a real issue.  Up here we'd like to have steeper sloped arrays, but that adds to the wind loads and results with larger trapped snow loads.  Sometimes reality can be a bummer.   Happy new years folks! 





  • 8.  RE: Thinner than a pencil!

    ASES Life Member
    Posted 12-31-2021 10:16 AM
    These don't appear to be anything new.  This article shows Sunpower's thin film panels are actually those made by Maxeon, so it seems they are thin film panels, not rigid ones requiring an extensive mounting structure. https://www.solarfeeds.com/mag/top-flexible-thin-film-solar-panels-in-the-usa/

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    Mike Curran
    Retired from (dare I say it?) Fossil Plant Mgt.
    joacchim57@gmail.com
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