ArcelorMittal has launched Helioroof BIPV roofing production line in France, commercially available from 2026
Helioroof integrates solar cells in lightweight steel sheets; the company claims these panels reduce carbon footprint by 25%
Initial projects to use this technology cover industrial, commercial, and residential roofs, totaling 1,500 m² in France and Belgium
Luxembourg-based steel giant ArcelorMittal has inaugurated its new production line for Helioroof, a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing solution, in France’s Meuse region. The company plans to make Helioroof commercially available in France in 2026.
It will carry out production on a highly automated, state-of-the-art manufacturing line at the company’s Contrisson (55) site, developed in collaboration with the metallurgical research and industrial innovation company, CRM Group of Belgium. The Contrisson plant may be expanded further depending on market demand.
Launched by ArcelorMittal Building Solutions France, the Helioroof product follows 5 years of R&D work. The company shares that the Helioroof combined its own steel, including the XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel. It uses 2 steel sheets, including a thermal insulating layer in between, while the top sheet directly integrates solar cells.
The system, protected by 15 ArcelorMittal patents, offers power output of up to 2.1 kW/unit while weighing half as much as conventional alternatives and reducing the carbon footprint by 25%. Helioroof modules are custom-made, up to 12 meters in length.
Helioroof is part of the Helexio Line that was awarded a grant under the EU Innovation Fund call of 2020 (see Innovative EU Projects Selected For €118 Million Funding). The project also won The smarter E AWARD in the PV category at Intersolar Europe 2024.
Initial projects that will deploy these modules are an urban brewery in Liège, Belgium, 2 industrial halls for metal construction companies in the Haut-Rhin and Meuse region of France, and a family house built by a low-energy building expert in France’s Marne region – covering a total roof space of 1,500 m2.
“We have created a unique product that is already being used by customers here in France and across Europe. These customers were the first to recognise the advantages of using Helioroof® - with a carbon footprint that is more than a third lower than standard products, faster installation times, while also being cost competitive on a project basis,” said ArcelorMittal Building Solutions CEO Jean-Christophe Kennel.
An application-specific module, BIPV will be the subject of discussion at the TaiyangNews Advanced Solar Module Applications 2025 Conference on October 17, 2025. Register free for the event here.
