LEADING MANUFACTURER OF CUSTOM SOLAR PANELS
OPES Solutions is an innovator and a technology, quality and market leader in the off-grid solar industry. We design and manufacture various types of solar panels that are suitable for a wide range of applications - including industries where solar was not feasible before.
New fields of application, new products and market innovations are core to our corporate strategy. In addition to current products for today's markets, we continuously develop materials for new applications and develop new products that offer our customers significant added value compared with conventional alternatives.
We continuously monitor and optimize our production and innovate manufacturing processes and automation lines. At OPES Solutions, everyone is encouraged to contribute to innovation. Every employee is a valuable part of our development and growth.
Our vision is to make solar energy available everywhere in our community. Without a grid, seamless and from solar home systems to a caravan roof size – Right where it’s needed.
For this, we never content in pushing the technology forward, together with our customers and partners.
Robert Händel, CEO & Founder
units installed
Lifes impacted
Tons of CO2 offset
2012
OPES Solutions is born
Although each of us had already been in the photovoltaic industry for over a decade, we felt the real unique strength of this technology had been neglected as the industry grew - the ability to produce energy everywhere without grid-connection. So we began to focus on off-grid solar module technology and production.
2013
First patent
Access to modern energy with solar modules gained more relevance. With support from vast improvements in battery and LED technology, we help to energize rural areas. Modules with over-dimensioned frames were the status quo, so we invented the Z-Frame — simplified installation, more efficient and better self-cleaning — our first patent.
2014
Certified quality
OPES Solutions soon became the first manufacturer globally to obtain IEC 61215/61730 certification for the full range of off-grid solar modules, even as small as 0.9 Watt. In the same year, we obtained the QEHS certificate based on ISO9000, ISO14000, and ISO34000.
2015
Ground-breaking patent in production
Building a factory also means research in automation, as nobody focused on off-grid module production before. We made big strides forward with our patented flying fiber laser and string multiplier. Our levels of automation and product variety have grown continuously — supported by our smart manufacturing concept.
2016
Strategic partnership with Fraunhofer Institute
We constantly search for new ways to integrate PV technology. In the Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP in Germany, we found the perfect partner to research and develop new modular concepts and materials.
2017
It's Watt per Gramm now
We successfully produce modules that weight only 20 grams per watt which corresponds to just 1/3 of the weight of conventional solar module. This is the start of the development of ultra-light modules suitable for weight-sensitive application such as vehicles, boats and small devices, which also place high demands on durability.
2018
Medalist of American Solar Challenge
OPES Solutions designed and supplied the energy for the Esteban 9 solar racing car by École Polytechnique de Montréal. Our team won the ”Best Electrical Design Award” and “Dynamic Award” of the competition. Esteban 9 is also the back-to-back winner in 2018 and 2019 of Single-Occupant Vehicle (SOV) class in Formula Sun Grand Prix.
2019
Funding
To support our growth we searched for investors who share our vision. In 2019, the investment funds Quadia from Switzerland and KawiSafi from Kenya joined us to continue to build the off-grid solar industry.
2020
Continuing Market Leadership
We produced now more than 5 million solar panels and it feels as if we have reinvented the solar industry to make it serve off-grid applications again. Now we continue to build this industry together with our customers, making solar power present everywhere in our daily life, right where it is needed. It may be found in data-driven devices in a Smart City or in Solar Home Systems for low income communities — or for anything else you can imagine.
2021
Launch of VIPV Series
Following 4 years of product development, we facilitate the use of solar in a new context. The vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) products SolFlex and SolShell were presented at the IAA Mobility in Munich. The focus on automotive requirements, cost reduction and a scalable supply chain ensures an efficient integration of solar energy into various types of vehicles. The panels enable them to increase range, reduce charging costs, improve carbon footprint and support bi-directional charging.
2022
Worlds first fully automated off-grid solar production line
As a pioneer in off-grid solar, we are constantly innovating the market. Since we began, our solar modules provided millions of families with access to electricity. With the world's first fully automated production line, our solar modules are now even more cost-efficient without compromising on quality. This makes off-grid modules more affordable and reliable, so that solar energy can further fulfill its important function of providing access to energy.
2023
OPES Solar Mobility and a German factory
Solar panels for the automotive industry must meet a number of distinct requirements that differ from static applications. We are joining forces with a German investor to build the first solar modules specially developed for vehicles. The new factory in Zwenkau, Germany, is a major milestone for us and a commitment to the emerging market of solar mobility.
OPES Solar Mobility will produce the solar modules for vehicles and provide support with system integration.