Solar PV applications are diversifying rapidly, with tailored modules for BIPV, floating, vertical, and agriPV use cases
Manufacturers are tweaking BOM and optimizing designs to customize their modules for various scenarios and climates
The adoption of integrated PV and BIPV is accelerating in Europe, driven by regulatory support and sustainable building mandates
There are numerous specific uses and environments for the very versatile solar PV technology. Manufacturers today are customizing materials and features for utility, commercial & industrial (C&I), as well as residential needs – from panels built for hail and desert conditions to floating and lightweight rooftop systems. Building-integrated PV (BIPV) and agrivoltaics (agriPV) are also gaining ground. This reflects a shift in the market toward application-specific solar solutions.
At the TaiyangNews Advanced Solar Module Applications 2025 Virtual Conference on October 17, 2025, industry leaders came together to discuss the latest design innovations in solar modules, extending beyond traditional applications.
Presenting an overview of PV module’s growth in his keynote address, TaiyangNews Head of Technology Shravan Chunduri listed the various new advanced solar module applications – from BIPV and floating PV to this technology being incorporated in urban settings in the form of balcony panels and even solar fences. He stressed that the possibilities are endless. This isn’t just product evolution, according to Chunduri, but rethinking how solar fits into our daily lives.
There also exists huge potential for solar electrification in heat and transport fuels. What’s more, he pointed out, is that solar electrification goes beyond just economic rationale. It improves the quality of life without impacting the end consumer experience. Manufacturers have taken note of this need and are tweaking bills of materials (BOM) to cater to these various applications.
JA Solar: Improved BOM for Desert Conditions
Presenting the company’s solar modules designed specifically for extreme desert conditions at the conference, JA Solar Senior Technical Sales Engineer Francesco Liuzza said its DesertBlue panels incorporate features that make them survive the harsh conditions in a sandy environment.
Liuzza said these modules have proved their reliability across various global arid and desert regions, right from China to Mexico and Chile, dealing with sand, wind, and heat.
Sharing a comparison of power stations in ‘desert-Gobi-wasteland’ versus ‘non-desert-Gobi-wasteland’ power stations, Liuzza said that sand and dust accumulation lead to a power generation loss of over 30%, increasing the risk of hotspots and also reducing the lifespan of the glass coating by 32%. He added that these factors lead to O&M costs increasing by 50% compared to non-desert-Gobi-wasteland power stations.
To deal with this, Liuzza explained that JA Solar’s DesertBlue modules use glass with a special coating with a triple-layer self-cleaning protection to tackle the consistent build-up of sand over the modules.
These are high-efficiency panels with up to 650 W power output and 24% efficiency. The manufacturer claims high-temperature resistance for these panels, with a temp coefficient of -0.28%/°C. With an advanced microstructure design and material optimization, the coating delivers triple protection by reducing dust adhesion, making deposition difficult, and easy cleaning, thus enabling modules to be less affected by dust. Field results show that glass light transmittance decay reduced by over 32% compared to regular modules, shared Liuzza.
JA Solar claims its DesertBlue module steel frames have a higher material strength compared to aluminum and a higher load capacity than other regular modules.
AESOLAR: Vertical PV and Carports
Hamed Hanifi, AESOLAR’s Director of Technology and Innovation, presented highlighted carport and vertical PV as 2 of the most promising markets in solar today. He emphasized that these land-saving applications offer strong economics for investors and open doors for mass producers, but each setup benefits from slight optimization to fit the scenario.
For vertical PV, agriPV is the biggest market. AESOLAR caters to this segment with its TERRA module. Featuring a power output of 560 W to 580 W and 40% transparency, these panels are ‘perfect’ for agriPV solutions, he added.
Apart from agriPV, vertical PV installations also offer scope for use in fences, schools, hospitals, and noise barriers. Apart from agriPV, vertical PV installations also offer scope for use in fences, schools, hospitals, and noise barriers. Offering a price comparison between retailed price of a normal plastic fence and vertical PV fence, Hanifi said it shows a benefit of up to 40% in costs.
However, vertical modules face the challenge of being shaded by junction boxes and cables, which Hanifi said the company addresses by parking all junction boxes in one place, thereby optimizing the frame. Compared with standard modules, these modules offer an energy gain of over 3.2% in the vertical setting.
For the carport segment, AESOLAR offers its n-type TOPCon Horizon modules, with up to 22.31% efficiency and 8% transparency. Both commercial and residential carports save space and offer a business model for EV charging.
Carports have to deal with safety overhead as the primary challenge. From the module manufacturer’s side, the main contributing factor is that the laminate should not fall apart even if it is broken. In Germany, for instance, the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt) or the German Institute for Building Technology which is the government’s technical authority for the construction industryis supervising this process. Hanifi added that AESOLAR’s Horizon modules are approved by the DIBt, which issues mandatory technical approvals for construction products to ensure building safety in Germany.
Becquerel Institute: Huge Potential for IPV Applications in Europe
Juan Ignacio Martinez, Business Analyst at the Becquerel Institute, shared insights on the integrated PV (IPV) application landscape, stating that such applications have a bright future as they seamlessly integrate solar into buildings and infrastructure without sacrificing aesthetics.
The most common IPV applications are PV noise barrier (PVNB), commercial carports, residential carports, agrivoltaics, and vehicle-integrated PV (VIPV). According to Martinez, agricultural land offers the largest surface potential for IPV in Europe, with agriPV standing out as the segment with the highest potential.
Projections for agriPV in Europe range from 1 TW under strict regulations to over 3 TW by 2050 if policies are relaxed. Growth accelerates after 2035, driven by policy support, maturing technology, and alignment with farming practices, making agriPV a key driver of Europe’s solar future.
This segment, however, remains highly sensitive to regulation.
AgriPV’s strong trajectory highlights its potential to become a key driver of Europe’s solar expansion, marrying energy generation with sustainable farming, while optimizing land use, added Martinez. Together with other IPV applications, Europe could be looking to add hundreds of GWs by 2050, contributing meaningfully to the region’s decarbonization goals.
Gain Solar: Multifaceted BIPV
Gain Solar’s International Sales Director, Millie Tan, discussed BIPV technology and its application in the field of green buildings. BIPV applications cover building roofs, façades, additional functional layers, building surroundings, and other applications. These can turn any surface into an electricity generator.
She shared several case studies and operational projects that show how PV is being integrated into a variety of scenarios, including solar leisure seats, solar trees, and floor tiles. Among the prominent challenges blocking its widespread use are higher upfront costs and the need for specialized architectural planning to incorporate this technology.
Nevertheless, Tan sees BIPV applications being adopted widely as policymakers formulate regulations to meet decarbonization targets. The European Union, for instance, aims to achieve a fully decarbonized building stock by 2050 under its Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
ATMOCE: Module Inverters for Multiple Applications
ATMOCE Product Manager Alec Curry emphasized the reliability and safety of the company’s solar module inverters. These inverters feature a DC voltage of less than 60 V, no DC arc risk, a failure rate below 500 ppm, and a power generation efficiency of up to 97.4%. He added that each panel has its own MPPT and operates at a low voltage of <60 V DC, ensuring safety, and includes features like rapid shutdown and module-level isolation. These features keep the system running efficiently even if one panel underperforms. As a result, the inverters are suitable for a wide range of installations, including BIPV and agriPV.
Curry highlighted several reasons why ATMOCE’s module inverters are better than conventional string inverters. They provide individual MPPT for each panel, thus ‘embracing’ individual panels since no 2 panels are identical or function identically. With no moving parts, they offer high reliability, along with module-level data, control, and safety monitoring at the source.
Curry claimed that with the growing importance of self-consumption, ATMOCE’s AC battery systems are becoming an essential part of solar energy setups.
Huasun Energy: Vertical PV is the Future
Christian Comes, Head of Business Development Europe at Huasun Energy, called vertical PV the most profitable solar topology today. He stated vertical PV offers stronger price protection, a lower CapEx/OpEx than tracker- or battery-based systems, and also brings higher immediate returns.
Battery systems, while offering potential future income through arbitrage, grid services, and capacity bonuses, are currently less attractive for spot market earnings and face declining midday prices.
Named after a mountain in China, the Kunlun series is Huasun’s vertical installation product for both landscape and portrait installations, available in G12 and G12R variants. The highest efficiency product in this series is a 720 W G12-132 module with up to 23.20% efficiency.
Panel Discussion
TaiyangNews’ Shravan Chunduri engaged the panelists – JA Solar’s Senior Technical Sales Engineer, Francesco Liuzza, and AESOLAR’s Director of Technology and Innovation, Hamed Hanifi – in a discussion on what’s needed to speed up the dissemination of advanced solar modules.
Liuzza emphasized the need for clear policies and standards to speed up innovation, as technical standards vary from country to country. Hanifi agreed, adding that technology, regulation, and mindset all play crucial roles. The lack of an adequate supply chain for new products is yet another challenge facing the industry.
The panelists were unanimous in their opinion that while advanced modules are still niche, they hold the potential to become major markets.
Video recordings of the presentations and the panel discussion for this event are available on the TaiyangNews website. The team also ran a live blog during the event.
On November 6, 2025, TaiyangNews will host the Virtual Conference on Reliable PV Module Design 2025 to understand how the industry is dealing with the very significant subject of module reliability. Registration for the event is free and can be done here.
