Volt Photo voltaic Tile — The Roof of the Future?

Peter Leeson, CEO of the Leeson Group, sat down with me yesterday for a video interview from his base in Melbourne, Australia (virtually 2000 km away from Brisbane the place I sat at my pc). I used to be excited to listen to about their product — the Volt photo voltaic roof tile — and its progress within the home and international market. The interview was shoehorned in between the numerous back-to-back conferences that crammed Peter’s busy schedule, be was beneficiant along with his time and knowledge. In fact, Peter additionally drives a Tesla Mannequin 3.

Peter Leeson with the Volt photo voltaic tile and his Tesla. Photograph courtesy of Leeson Group.

Volt is a part of Leeson Group. It describes its photo voltaic roof tile thus on the corporate’s web site:

“Utilizing a singular Metallic Wrap Via (MWT) cell expertise and a busbar-free design to extend the effectivity of photo voltaic cells, Volt utilises a built-in cable containment system, bettering security by eradicating dwell wires from the roof house. Volt additionally interlocks with surrounding tiles, making certain a seamless and waterproof rooftop.

“The Volt Planum and Lodge photo voltaic tiles are the world’s first photo voltaic tiles that may generate the equal quantity of vitality as a regular photo voltaic panel. The 115W MWT mono PERC Planum module has a market main 18.8% photo voltaic effectivity and the Volt Lodge photo voltaic tile 105W MWT mono PERC module has a photo voltaic effectivity of 19.5%.”

The Volt photo voltaic tile put in. Photograph courtesy of Leeson Group.

The Volt photo voltaic tile is obtainable for brand spanking new builds and reroofing options by means of Bristile roofing in Australia and Spain-based roof tile producer La Escandella globally.

It takes an distinctive entrepreneur to carry new merchandise to market, and Peter is one in every of many that I’ve interviewed as a part of my time writing for CleanTechnica. He began as an electrician working his personal enterprise from the age of twenty-two. The enterprise moved into renewables in 2008 putting in residential and business solar energy methods. In 2010, Peter beginning designing 3D fashions for built-in methods for buildings — (BIPV) Constructing-Built-in Photovoltaics. These included photo voltaic facades, curtain partitions, photo voltaic tiles, skylights, and photo voltaic home windows. Peter has travelled by means of Asia and Australia designing and putting in BIPV methods, together with a 2000-panel facade system in Asia and numerous photo voltaic tile methods.

Cambodia BIPV challenge. Photograph courtesy of Leeson Group.

Leeson Group has already developed 150 MW of photo voltaic farms and has initiatives amounting to 750 MW within the pipeline. The income from these initiatives has been used to develop the Volt photo voltaic tile, which was launched in October final 12 months. Though the product is presently manufactured in China, Peter has plans to onshore manufacturing, most likely in Victoria, by the primary half of 2025. It’s anticipated to take 15 months to construct the manufacturing line, with machines being imported from Europe. Then the purpose is to ramp as much as 250 MW of manufacturing every year by 2027.

In addition to its international ambitions, Volt Australia has partnered with 40 photo voltaic gross sales and set up companies round Australia and Peter expects that it’s going to scale as much as 100 briefly order. One of many essential promoting factors for the Volt system in Australia is its ease of set up. A latest 21 kW set up simply outdoors Brisbane in Queensland took the group 8 hours in contrast with a regular photo voltaic panel system which might have taken as much as 3 days to put in. “One of many greatest limitations up to now for photo voltaic tile roof uptake, has been the time it takes to put in,” Peter tells me.

Volt presently has 12 major markets, and has accomplished 15 installs in Australia, Spain, France, and Turkey. Many extra installations are within the pipeline. He jogged my memory that it takes 12 months to undergo the planning and development course of. “We’ve a great mannequin, but it surely’s nonetheless a startup.” He’s anticipating a large uptick by 2025. Peter initiatives that in 2025 they are going to be putting in a number of thousand methods globally per 12 months, or about 9 MW, with gross sales in much more nations.

By December/January 2024, Peter expects that the Volt will probably be putting in its first initiatives within the USA, working with distributors within the USA, together with a partnership with Santa Fe Tile primarily based in Miami, Florida. Volt companions use the La Escandella roof tile from Spain. La Escandella has hyperlinks to European nations and the Center East totaling 85 nations, making it straightforward for Volt to penetrate international markets. Based on its web site:

“La Escandella is a household enterprise with greater than 50 years expertise within the manufacture of ceramic merchandise. Our nice data within the sector, mixed with the hundreds of initiatives carried out, assist us to offer certified skilled recommendation for the choice of ceramic supplies. As a result of every architectural challenge is exclusive, our customized recommendation helps you make it…. The philosophy of fixed innovation and dedication to sustainability, in addition to expertise in a wide range of markets, has allowed us to be pioneers within the integration of photo voltaic panels in our tiles with a fantastic aesthetic and technical end result. The right integration.”

From Santa Fe’s sustainability assertion: “We establish companions that share our values, probably the most essential being a powerful dedication to preserving and defending the atmosphere.”

Volt is finishing testing for certification throughout each state within the USA to verify the product complies with native requirements for market entry. The distribution channels have been arrange. “There’s plenty of demand within the US, however we received’t launch until all of the certification is full. Our roof is less expensive than the Tesla roof, maybe solely 25% of the associated fee. The Volt tile can slot in with an current product (the La Escandella Plannum tile). Which means that by means of current distribution and set up channels Volt has the aptitude and capability to ship a simple to put in product.”

Volt photo voltaic system on Status roof. Photograph courtesy of Leeson Group.

Volt has accomplished putting in the biggest photo voltaic tile set up on the planet on one house (100 kW) in Turkey. Peter is a fan of Elon Musk, however can’t assist however make a comparability with the market chief. “This set up is twice the dimensions of Tesla’s nearest one.”

“It’s an absolute thrill to say a product idea that we considered eight, 9 years in the past … and this week I used to be in Turkey putting in it on a roof … so it’s just a little little bit of a surreal second.” Certainly one of Australia’s largest builders is placing the Volt tiles on about 14 of its show properties.

Richmond BIPV set up. Photograph courtesy of Leeson Group.

How do you get one? Enquires are dealt with by means of the Volt web site for reroofing and new builds. The client simply picks a tile and selects the colour. The enquiry kind course of also can embrace design points. A abstract will probably be robotically generated and despatched to the shopper.

Good luck within the nice US of A, Peter, as Volt photo voltaic tiles turns into one more Australian export winner.