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PLAstIC oR GLAss? This is the question that
countless car manufacturers, architects, packaging
designers, and city planners have racked their brains
over. Often, the answer is pretty simple: Plastic wins
out whenever weight or formability is a pivotal factor.
Or put another way, plastic is the first choice if
the focus is on fulfilling and implementing the design
plans of the architect or designer.
Interestingly enough, however, this question has
played a minor role in photovoltaics (PV). The glasson-glass
modules currently in use consist of a carrier
sheet and a cover sheet made of glass. Depending on
the structural specifications for the glass strength,
these standard systems have one grave drawback:
Each square meter of glass module weighs at least
20 kilograms. In comparison, PV modules based on
PLEXIGLAS® weigh half as much. Indeed, this is why
many construction projects fail to exploit the potential
of photovoltaics. A case in point is renovating
existing buildings to make them more energy-efficient.
The existing substructure is unable to bear the
additional static loads of the glass modules.
Lightweight construction: an
attractive niche in photovoltaics
Conventional glass modules are, therefore, of limited
use on account of their weight. Obviously, then, the
glass has to be replaced with a transparent, resistant,
but above all lightweight material. This is where Elsenfeld,
Germany-based Sunovation GmbH began its
work. The company has been devoting itself to lightweight
construction modules for over 15 years and
has been successful at carving a niche for itself 333
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 21
The Alstersonne, a solar
catamaran that has sailed
the Alster since the year
2000. Sunovation has
installed its modules on a
total of four of these
catamarans, which are
operated in Heidelberg,
Hannover, and on Lake
Constance, in addition
to Hamburg. The
PLEXIGLAS® solar
modules form a curved,
partially transparent roof
on the catamarans.
Their low-weight, high
weather resistance,
and formability make
them especially useful for
overhead applications
elements35 Issue 2|2011