In this series, we are introducing all of our partners. Companies that not only have great innovations to combat climate change but also believe in our project and help us in our mission to travel around the world in the search of climate pioneers and to spread the word about their solutions. Read about OPES Solutions, in our fifth Partner Feature.
“We have to decarbonize the transport sector as fast as possible” – urges Robert Händel CEO and founder. “And we already produced hundreds of thousands of solar modules for the share-bike and caravan market. We want to enable applications to use free and clean energy. Solar becomes an integral part of the vehicle, like an energy-producing material property. This is what is demonstrated in the Solar Butterfly in a beautiful way, and many people will be surprised that it´s possible to travel around the world powered only by the sun.”
The leading off-grid-module manufacturer entered a very new era in solar vehicle integration with successfully developing Larso’s solar modules! The company has developed an innovative manufacturing process, the wafer-based crystalline solar cells are combined with structured sandwich panels made out of recycled ocean PET, by 3A Composites Mobility. And they are ultralight too, which is crucial in the automotive industry – and also for SolarButterfly. It is 55 percent lighter than conventional solar modules. The efficiency of the LONGi solar cells used is 24 percent.
“Using recycled material is a big deal – said Robert Händel, CEO and founder of OPES Solutions – and a major step towards circular economy. We produce already a similar product with structured foam called SolShell. That’s why we were able to make this type of panel, which is both very light and robust. Solar in vehicles has specific requirements, which makes us do thorough testing in our factory, for example regarding vibrations. Solar becomes an integral part of the vehicle, like an energy-producing material property. This is what is demonstrated in the Solar Butterfly in a beautiful way, and many people will be surprised that it´s possible to travel around the world powered only by the sun.”
The Climate Pioneer World Tour will also visit OPES in Berlin, Germany and Robert Händel is also looking forward to this. “The tour shows that technology is already there, cost and reliability is right. We just need to use it. So, the tour should be really a positive wake-up call, and we look forward when the tour passes us here in Berlin.”
And what is coming in the future for OPES? “We´ll continue with our technology roadmap for solar mobility – says Mr Händel, – and plan to launch different products for different vehicle types for the years to come. We will showcase our latest innovations at IAA Transport in September in Hannover, which we are looking forward to.”
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Check out our other Partner Features too: LONGi, HSLU, myclimate, BRUGG
Learn more about OPES Solutions on their website: www.opes-solutions.com