Midsummer and Tarpon Solar win prize for CIGS solar 'tent'
Tarpon Solar's laminated fabric is suitable for industrial halls, temporary structures and tents to produce renewable energy
Norwegian tent cloth company Tarpon Solar, together with Midsummer, a Swedish developer of CIGS-baed flexible solar solutions, has developed flexible tarpaulins and canvases with integrated solar cells. For this solution, they have now won the first place in the Technology and Innovation Competition MTI Technology Award.
The flexible fabrics are designed for industrial halls, temporary structures and tents to produce renewable energy. "Each cloth is made for the purpose it will be used for, so the amount of fabric and type of fibre and layer vary. The solar cells are integrated in the production itself and become part of the material", said Marius Borg-Heggedal, technical manager at Tarpon Solar AS.
Tarpon Solar develops canvases for large outdoor structures such as sun shading, stages and much more. The company has now designed a laminated fabric with stable, static structures that do not extend and realised that this material has the properties needed to integrate with Midsummer's thin film solar cells.
"We obviously see great potential with this solution. Being able to produce renewable energy in a canvas opens up for so many different applications around the world", said Mattias Dahlberg, project manager at Midsummer AB.
Tarpon Solar uses Midsummer's thin film solar cells, as they are light enough, flexible and robust for the purpose. They produce about 120 watts per square meter. With the technology used, very light canvases are produced. With integrated solar cells, the weight becomes almost the same as with conventional PVC material and the canvas is also stronger and more durable.
Midsummer has often been named one of Sweden's and Europe's fastest growing technology companies.
MTI Technology Award is a competition for new and established companies with a business concept in technology.
