Solar panels are the most popular sustainable roofing option. But they are often still too heavy for many existing buildings. Innovation is changing this, such as these solar panels made in the Netherlands from recycled plastic. Solarge. No glass, so 50% lighter than normal and developed by TU Eindhoven. They are attached to a lightweight system of Next Level Solar (Rable), which also saves 50% of the weight of the often heavy mounting. Next Level is an initiative of CBM, the trade association for the Interior Construction and Furniture Industry.
About the Rable System
Rable Makes large-scale solar energy possible. Because the system is self-supporting and intelligently prepared in the factory, all rooftops in the Netherlands can generate energy.
Something also mentioned by Climate Minister Jetten: all large rooftops will have to be equipped with solar panels from 2025 onwards. In the Netherlands, we have too little land, and we will have to generate energy in the built environment. Large rooftops (> 1000 m2) potential is currently only used in 6,5% of cases, and more than 50% of flat industrial rooftops appear to have insufficient load-bearing capacity, according to a report by SystemIQ commissioned by RVO Nederland and Holland Solar.
For the municipality of Rotterdam alone, it has been calculated that we can achieve 5 km with the Rable innovation2 develop additional roof space at a market-based price, allowing 1000 MW (comparable to a coal-fired power station) to be generated locally.
