Canadian Solar has completed the first BIPV solar glass roof system, with glass-on-glass solar modules, in Henan Province in collaboration with China's Luoyang Polysilicon Company. CSI was the sole supplier of the solar glass technology, the specialty BIPV modules, and acted as the integrator of the complete solar power system.
The BIPV solar glass system, covering approximately 293 square meters of roof space, was installed on the three-story building in Luoyang of Henan Province, which houses the Research Department of Luoyang Polysilicon and the China National Silicon Materials Engineering Research Center.
This research center facility is designed and built by ENFI engineering group, a leading design institute for polysilicon production plants and the majority owner of Luoyang Polysilicon, currently the largest polysilicon manufacturer in China. The project was financially sponsored by the Technology Development Fund of Luoyang Municipality Government.
In August 2007, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) published its national development strategy for renewable energy. According to this strategy, China targets to install 300 MW cumulative solar generation capacity by 2010 and 1.8 GW by 2020.
Mr. Guohong He, Deputy General Manager of China Luoyang Polysilicon commented: "CSI is a world class PV module maker and lived up to its reputation as a leader in specialty solar module products. We are pleased with the superior workmanship CSI demonstrated in the BIPV solar glass roof system.
The project has successfully passed our performance tests. We look forward to opportunities to collaborate with CSI in many other areas of solar applications, given the recent announcement by China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of its national development strategy for renewable energy. We are confident that China will be a major solar power market in the near future."
Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar Inc. commented: "BIPV combines solar technology with architecture, which is a fast growing area of solar applications.
This is a perfect area for us given CSI's years of experience in specialty solar modules and customized solar system design. We are able to take an unusable space and transform it into an environmentally friendly, energy generating, cost saving structure. The completion of this project marks one of many potential high-profile, showcase projects, which the two companies expect to pursue together."
