A solar system comprising PV tiles has been deployed on the conical roof of the Artefact – Center for Sustainable Development in Glücksburg at the Baltic Sea in Germany this summer.
The PV tiles were provided by German specialist Autarq and have been installed everywhere on the roof except for the north side. They were placed on top of clay bricks supplied by roof tile company Creaton.
Werner Kiwitt, Managing Director of Artefact GmbH, had been looking for suitable solar roof tiles for the building’s conference and guest center for almost three years and aimed to find a single source for the purchase, installation, and warranty of the PV system. “The roofs next to the conical roof are green. Therefore, aesthetics also played a role in the decision in favor of Autarq solar roof tiles,” said Kiwitt
The tiles resemble classic slate roof tiles. “The center will use the solar power generated entirely for its own consumption,” Kiwitt continued. “A battery storage system and inverter are located in a room below the newly covered roof.”
The conference center doesn’t just rely on clean electricity – it already completely covers its heat demand with solar thermal energy and biomass.
Autarq said its solar roof tiles are less sensitive to shading due to a parallel connection. According to the manufacturer, the roof statics are not affected either, since the weight of the solar roof tiles is roughly the same as that of the original tiles. Cables and plug contacts are located under the roof cladding and are thus protected against the effects of the weather.
“Each tile has an output of 10 W,” an Autarq spokeswoman told pv magazine, adding that the cost per tile is currently €24.60.
