Originally published: 5-24-2019
PowerFilm was founded in 1988, focusing on custom design engineering and manufacturing amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar panels.
Several years ago, it became evident that many of our customers require more power in a smaller area and don’t necessarily need the extreme flexibility and durability of our thin-film material.
For these applications, our Soltronix semi-flexible solar panels offer a high-efficiency, cost-effective solution. We remain committed to our fully flexible solar material but have added crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology, expanding the range of our custom capabilities.
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Soltronix semi-flexible solar panels combine high-efficiency solar cells, custom semi-flexible panel designs, and proprietary PowerBoost charge controllers to deliver as much power as possible to your application.
We bring over 200 combined staff years of experience in innovative solar design, engineering, and assembly of custom products across multiple technologies to our Soltronix line of products.
If you are looking for an off-the-shelf product to support your outdoor power needs, we offer a wide range of semi-flexible solar panels that will help you get the job done.
Are you looking for something more custom? We will collaborate with you to design, engineer, and assemble the best crystalline solar solution for your application.
We’ve taken all our custom knowledge working with amorphous silicon and applied it to semi-flexible crystalline solar panels.
Below are the steps we take designing your solution and the materials involved:
Step 1:
We source the highest-efficiency and highest quality cells directly from SunPower for a trustworthy remote power source.
Step 2:
Together, we customize your solution to meet your power and footprint requirements and ensure you have the best solution for your needs.
Step 3:
We apply proprietary encapsulation to your panel depending on your operating environment. We provide the best weather and UV protection, impact, and scratch-resistance of any panel on the market.
Step 4:
We offer a series of PowerBoost charge controllers that incorporate high-efficiency DC-DC converters and a proprietary power-point tracking system to optimize the power collected from the solar panel and delivered to a battery or direct load.
Step 5:
You have a custom solar solution designed to last and a partner to help you every step of the way.
Learn more about our customer solar design process
One enormous benefit of crystalline silicon solar technology is its efficiency. With a 23%+ efficiency, our designs feature more solar material in less space, meeting or exceeding our partners' energy and design constraints.
Below are a few applications where space is at a premium, and crystalline silicon solar technology is ideal.
Trucks, railcars, and RVs feature batteries essential for operation. They're critical for Transportation Refrigeration Units (TRUs) used in semis and rail cars. Finally, auxiliary batteries power electronics in these vehicles. A solar panel can help extend runtime and increase battery lifetime nearly everywhere a battery is used.
Learn more about our solar solutions for transportation in this three-part blog post series:
Boating - Our stock sizes of Soltronix Solar Panels are great for consumers looking for a battery charging solution for their trolling motors or auxiliary batteries. If you are a boat or boating accessory manufacturer, we can partner with you and design a fully custom semi-flexible solar solution.
Why is the PowerBoost Charge Controller important?
The PowerBoost series of charge controllers incorporate high-efficiency DC-DC converters and a proprietary power point tracking system to optimize the power collected from the solar panel and efficiently charge a battery. Our charge controllers are specifically designed for use with solar and match both panel output, voltage, and battery input voltage. Additionally, PowerBoost controllers will not overcharge and reduce the battery's life, a common problem with off-the-shelf three-stage charge controllers.
Learn more about different solar charge controller technologies
Why does encapsulation matter?
The encapsulation stack used in the Soltronix panels offers protection from hot, humid environments, icing, water immersion, and saltwater spray. Additionally, the encapsulation stack withstands ½” hail with no degradation in panel performance.
Learn more about the importance of encapsulation in a solar solution
Are you interested in leveraging custom solar design in your product?
We are ready to help you design a sustainable solution that your customers will love.
Contact us, and let’s get started today.
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