OPES is growing. For over a decade, we’ve been committed to expanding the use of solar energy in new areas of application and are now opening a new chapter. Our sister company OPES Solar Mobility inaugurated Europe’s first production facility for flexible solar panels designed for vehicle integration in Zwenkau near Leipzig.
Since our foundation twelve years ago as OPES Solutions, we have been manufacturing custom solar modules, consistently pursuing our vision to fully leverage the power of photovoltaics: to generate electricity exactly where it is consumed. With over 24 million solar modules worldwide, we have enabled applications to sustainably power themselves with affordable energy – ranging from solar home systems to GPS trackers to sharing bikes. Solar energy is thus becoming an integral, enriching part of everyday life.
Now, our sister company OPES Solar Mobility is taking that expertise and applying it to a very specific challenge: making solar power work for vehicles.
This week marks a major milestone. OPES Solar Mobility has officially opened Europe’s first dedicated production facility for flexible solar panels designed for vehicle integration. Located in Zwenkau near Leipzig, the 12,000 m² site will manufacture modules tailored for commercial and recreational vehicles — including buses, trucks, trailers, and camper vans.
The new factory will create 120 jobs and uses proprietary manufacturing technology developed in collaboration with Fraunhofer research institutes. These modules are built to handle the mechanical stress and vibration typical in mobile environments — and they’re already generating strong international demand.
“Our innovative, robust Matrix architecture for vehicle-based solar modules ensures reliable performance in real-world conditions and generates significantly more electricity than conventional technologies,” says Robert Händel, CEO of both OPES Solutions and OPES Solar Mobility.
The Matrix design connects solar cells in a brick-like pattern, allowing energy generation even when parts of the module are shaded — a common issue on vehicle surfaces. This means better yield, longer battery life, and extended driving range for both diesel and electric fleets.
Why This Matters
The market potential is substantial. According to Dr. Martin Heinrich of Fraunhofer ISE, the EU alone could support 70 gigawatts of vehicle-integrated solar — equivalent to 6 million trucks and 30 million vans. That’s a 10–15% CO₂ reduction per vehicle.
“At MAN Truck & Bus CZ, we see great potential in vehicle-integrated photovoltaics,” says Pavel Kuch. “In cooperation with OPES Mobility, we want to bring this innovative technology onto the road.”
OPES Solar Mobility is already working with over 15 partners across Europe, Africa, and South America, with more collaborations in the pipeline. The goal: make solar mobility scalable, reliable, and accessible.
While OPES Solutions continues to focus on custom solar modules for diverse applications, OPES Solar Mobility is streamlining solar for vehicles — with standardized products, ready to integrate.
Together, we’re building the future of solar mobility.
OPES at a glance
Founded in 2012, OPES Group recognized early on the immense potential of off-grid photovoltaics and is committed to integrating solar energy seamlessly into everyday life.
Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, OPES Group operates regional offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taipei, and maintains a dual-factory production layout in Changzhou, China, and Zwenkau, Germany. The Group covers a complete value chain from off-grid solar modules to vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) systems, supported by strong R&D collaboration with leading institutes such as Fraunhofer ISE / CSP in Germany.
About OPES Solutions
OPES Solutions is the market leader for customized off-grid solar panels. OPES Solutions designs and manufactures a wide range of solar modules for applications in various industries, such as solar home systems, automotive, micro mobility, lighting, traffic technology, tracking systems, IoT, and industries where solar technology was not feasible before.
Factory in Changzhou, China, OPES Solutions has delivered more than 20 million modules worldwide. With patented, in-house designed automation and highly adaptive manufacturing.
About OPES Solar Mobility
OPES Solar Mobility is a leading manufacturer of solar solutions for vehicles. From the factory in Germany, OPES Solar Mobility supply vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to the automotive industry and enables the integration of solar technology both ex works and via retrofits.
From its plant in Zwenkau, the company supplies vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers, enabling both the factory integration of solar technology and retrofitting solutions.
