Chinese manufacturer Goodwe started a new division focussing solely on building integrated photovoltaics or BIPV around 18 months ago, Goodwe Australia’s Country Manager, Dean Williamson, and its Marketing Manager, John Wright, told pv magazine Australia at the recent Smart Energy Conference in Sydney.
The company has announced its partnership with BIPV specialists Umax Energy to this end. The partnership will see Umax become the “master distributors” of GoodWe’s BIPV products in Australia, while also providing technical support services including system design, onsite installation guidance, project management, and maintenance.
Goodwe released the details of its first BIPV product for Australia, the lightweight Galaxy panel, in May.
The new 335 W slim panel, designed for low load-bearing rooftops, received easily the most interest of all Goodwe’s new products on display at the Sydney convention, Williamson and Wright said. The Galaxy is frameless and 60% lighter than conventional modules, the company says.
Image: GoodWe
Goodwe will also bring an integrated solar roof tile to Australia, Williamson and Wright told pv magazine. The solar tile, targeting the residential segment, will be one of only two such products offered in Australia, the pair said.
In October 2022, Melbourne-based renewable energy company Leeson Group unveiled its Australian-engineered rooftop solar tile with an efficiency of up to 19.3%.
BIPV products have tended to be more successful overseas, in places like Europe where buildings are older and require specialist approaches. But with the traditional rooftop solar proposition seemingly approaching saturation in Australia, companies are now looking to fill the more niche gaps in the market.
With the new BIPV division, it appears Goodwe is taking the popular ‘full stack’ strategy even further. Within the last few months, the company also launched its high voltage residential battery, as well as a battery system for commercial and industrial applications, which can be scaled to store between 101 kWh and 450 kWh.
Image: Goodwe
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