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Photovoltaics integrated into roof and cladding panels have been launched by Arval, part of Arcelor Construction.

The six-inch crystalline silicium PV cells are laminated onto specially designed galvanized profiled steel sheets. Each nine-cell module is pre-wired with connection cables and connectors and comes with an inverter to convert the direct current into an alternating current that can then be resold to the grid or stored in batteries. The company estimates that a single module is capable of generating up to 130W of power.

The system weighs 20kg/m2 and can be installed on pitches as shallow as 6° in either single or double modules of 36 or 72 cells respectively. Subsystems are available with either rigid or mineral wool insulation, or with no insulation at all. The photovoltaics come with a 25-year guarantee to deliver 80% of the potential power capability and 20 years for the steel sheets.