BIPV bloodbath
I write to you as an observer of the solar market for more than a decade, and as someone who had a role in a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) project some years ago.
Over the last decade, we've eulogized or watched struggle a number of solar roofing and BIPV companies. I'm including solar roofing, solar windows and flexible roll-on solar panels in this category.
Here are some of the casualties.
Ready Solar ("solar-in-a-box") acquired by now-bankrupt SunEdison
Dow Chemical retired its solar shingle line (based on NuvoSun CIGS)
PowerLight solar shingle
BP solar shingle
ECD (flexible a-Si) bankrupt
SoloPower (flexible CIGS) shuttered factories
Flexcell (a-Si roll-roll BIPV) closed
Soltecture (CIGS BIPV) bankrupt
Scheuten Solar (BIPV) bankrupt, then acquired by Aikosolar
Pythagoras Solar (BIPV windows) closed
Xunlight (a-Si BIPV) bankrupt
Konarka (OSC BIPV) bankrupt
There are still a number of companies fighting the integrated solar fight -- but no runaway commercial volume successes yet.
Solarmass roof tiles "designed to be installed by a roofer" but without flashing or frames
Solaria's BIPV windows
Atlantis Energy's solar tiles
MiaSolé (flexible CIGS) acquired by China's Hanergy
Redwood Renewables (PV roof tiles)
SunTegra's roof integrated panel includes ventilation. The firm works with roofers, remodelers, and homebuilders and claims to have installed over 4,000 panels to date on 30 to 40 buildings nationwide. The firm's CEO said, "We’re within the window of the premium people are willing to pay for the aesthetics of integrated options. A lot of people don't love the way panels look," according to reporting from GTM's Julian Spector.
Lumeta's peel-and-stick solar panels
AltEnergy is a BIPV project developer
ArteZanos' integrated solar tiles
Heliatek's OSC technology focused on windows and facades
CertainTeed Solar is working on two types of roof-integrated products, including shingles