Solar Frontier develops residential CIGS panels
Japanese CIGS company Solar Frontier will be launching SmaCIS, a solar power system specifically designed for the Japanese domestic residential market.
The system combines specially developed and uniquely constructed mounts with CIGS thin-film solar panels of a size that easily fits onto the hipped roofing of Japanese homes.
Solar Frontier plans to commence production of the solar panels at its manufacturing plant in Miyazaki from April 2017, with the system to be launched in July.
SmaCIS takes its name from the "˜smart' manner in which the CIS thin-film solar panels can be installed. The form factor allows for more modules to be outfitted on roofs of complex design, such as on the hipped roofing of Japanese homes; the smart visual appearance of the system makes it aesthetically compatible with the roofs; and a newly developed method of construction reduces the time needed to put the system together by approximately 20 percent.
With rising consumer interest in energy self-sufficiency and the net zero energy houses (ZEH) standardization policy adopted and promoted by the government for 2020, the domestic market for residential solar energy systems is expected to see robust demand moving forward.
