French startup Heliup secures investment for 100MW lightweight PERC module assembly line

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
French startup Heliup lightweight solar panels are targeted for commercial, logistics and industrial rooftop buildings. Image: Heliup.

French startup Heliup has secured €10 million (US$10.5 million) in an investment round of financing for a 100MW PERC lightweight module assembly line in France.

The investment round has been led by venture capital company Starquest Capital with the backing of innovation group EIT InnoEnergy, French banking firm BNP Paribas Développement and real estate company IDEC Group. The company is also backed by BPI France, the France 2030 investment plan and several banks to complete the financing.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

With a focus on the rooftop market – for commercial, logistics and industrial buildings – the modules produced in the new production line will use Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) technology, however the company aims to move towards tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) “as soon as possible” says Yannick Veschetti, CEO and co-founder of Heliup.

The French startup will build ultra-light modules, combined with a special integration which reduces the weight of the solar power plant by 60% and saves on installation time and costs.

The company uses a patented technology from CEA developed over three years at INES (National Institute for Solar Energy), which is based on the conservation of ultra-thin glass of less than 1mm and the installation of the solar panels through direct bonding of panels to the waterproofing membrane.

Two different types of solar modules are being built by the startup, one for flat roofs – called Stykon – and provides resistance to mechanical impact such as hail, while the other is for pitched roofs – dubbed Lighton – with a market entry scheduled for 2025.

The production line is expected to be operational during 2024, with a target to progressively increase the production to 500MW before 2027, added Veschetti.

“We are extremely grateful to our investors for their continued support of our vision to make solar energy more accessible and efficient than ever. This fundraising will enable us to accelerate our mission to contribute to the transition to cleaner energy,” said Veschetti.

Moreover, if the French rooftop market will be the company’s primary target, it expects to export its panels to other markets in the future.

Both EIT InnoEnergy and IDEC Group are behind another French startup, Holosolis, which was founded by the former and targets to build a solar module assembly plant in France with 5GW of annual nameplate capacity and with commercial production expected to start in 2025.

Read Next

October 8, 2025
US solar module prices jumped in Q3 2025 as developers scrambled to meet the 2 September 2025 safe harbour deadline for Investment Tax Credit (ITC) qualification, according to supply chain platform Anza.
October 2, 2025
The Indian solar industry has 86GW and 182GW of solar cell and module manufacturing capacity, respectively, expected to be commissioned by 2027.
Premium
September 25, 2025
An anticipated uptick in US cell manufacturing presents opportunities for European PV tool producers, says RENA Technologies’ Michael Vees.
September 25, 2025
Italian energy utility Enel has issued a US$4.5 billion (€3.8 billion) bond seeking investment from “US and international” investors.
September 25, 2025
A Fraunhofer and SolarPower Europe study has concluded that reaching the EU's annual solar module manufacturing target of 30GW is achievable.
September 23, 2025
Boviet Solar has added an additional 1GW of manufacturing capacity to its module manufacturing plant in North Carolina.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK