VetroMount balustrading system from Bohle has been approved for use with photovoltaic panels, opening up a potentially large market for installers looking to broaden their offering.
“In many applications, end users choose VetroMount balustrading because the advanced design gives an uninterrupted view from a balcony or patio,” Bohle’s Managing Director Dave Broxton said. “But in some cases, the balustrading is there for safety, providing a barrier. Here, their design is perfectly suited as mounts for photovoltaic panels.”
The latest designs of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) can take the form of laminated glass – the 1.5mm PVB laminate layer is almost identical to conventional laminated safety glass, making it ideal for use in balustrading.
“What makes VetroMount ideal for photovoltaic panels is the channel we’ve incorporated into the design, which allows bulky cabling to be routed safely and discreetly below the panel,” Dave said. “This is typically used for products where LED lights are used as part of the laminate interlayer, but it also provides a perfect solution for BIPV.
“This leaves the top edge free, which allows the use of discreet top edge protection. It is also a unique design, giving our customers a competitive edge over those who use alternative systems.”
BIPV installed as part of a VetroMount balustrading can generate 0.2kWp per linear metre, which is 27% more electricity than similar systems thanks to the increased glazing area.
Also, ‘micro’ inverters can be installed to each panel, which has a big impact on the efficiency of the entire balustrade.
“If a single large inverter is wired into a BIPV system installed on a balustrade, then it can only produce as much electricity as the weakest module in the chain,” Dave said. “So, if one balustrade is in the shade, then the entire system is bottlenecked.
“Thanks to our micro inverters, which can be easily installed to each VetroMount panel, the glass modules can work independently of each other, maximising their yield.”
Dave said that the timing of this development was perfect, because the shift to self-generation of electricity was not only attractive from a cost point of view, but it also improved the SAP rating of newbuild properties under the proposed Future Homes and Buildings Standards.
“We are getting to a point where we are looking for all opportunities to generate electricity,” he said. “And this provides an excellent solution. Where balustrading provides a safety barrier, for example round the edge of a flat roof, then a VetroMount system to accommodate BIPV can easily be incorporated with no additional tools or time on site.
“Now is the perfect time to be familiarising yourself with a product that will create multiple opportunities in years to come.”
bohle.com
