Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. has signed an agreement with Hanau Energies SAS to supply a 4.5MW building integrated PV system (BIPV) to a farm located in Alsace, France.
The 4.5MW installation is anticipated to be completed by January 2009 with an additional 1MW already being planned. It will be one of the largest BIPV installations ever built employing Suntech’s ‘Just Roof’ modules to form complete weatherproof roofs on five agricultural warehouses on a farm in the Alsace region of France.
Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s Chairman and CEO, stated, ”This project is a very significant milestone in the development of the French solar market and for BIPV in particular. We are experiencing great demand for our high quality MSK Solar Design Line of BIPV products all around the world as architects, homeowners and commercial end-users increasingly recognize the aesthetic and power generation benefits of integrating solar into buildings.”
With a progressive solar policy, demand for solar products in France is growing rapidly and, due to enhanced incentives for BIPV, French demand for integrated solar systems is particularly healthy.
Suntech, as a result of its acquisition of Japan’s MSK in 2006, has an impressive range of BIPV products and solutions. Suntech has collaborations with several companies to jointly develop BIPV products and plans to continue to expand partnerships in this area.