New PV Project: Bosch’s First Facade System

The aim of this first joint project between Bosch Solar Energy AG and Bosch subsidiary Johanna Solar Technology GmbH was to integrate high-capacity photovoltaic (PV) modules into a building facade in a visually and architecturally sophisticated way.

Bosch’s first facade system has started feeding into the electric grid after the completion of the facade-integrated solar power system on the Schwager department store in the centre of Holzminden, Lower Saxony, Germany. Bosch Solar Energy’s range of project solutions now includes the planning and construction of such facade systems.

The photovoltaic system featuring an output of 21 kWp was installed as a part of a facade remodeling project. The facade was also fitted with a thermal insulation composite system. Built in the 1970s, the old curtain wall on the Holzminden department store was in urgent need of renovation and had almost no thermal insulation.

The newly installed Johanna Solar Technology CIS solar modules generate around 19,000 kWh of electricity a year across the 300 square meters of the department store’s south facade. The system thus saves 12 tones of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to the emissions from a medium-sized vehicle which has travelled 60,000 kilometers (37,000 miles).

Johanna Solar Technology’s CIS solar modules stand out due to their elegant design, attractive yields and high-grade processing. They are highly suitable for an architecturally challenging facade design. The modules slope 10 degrees towards the sun and are thus able to achieve a greater output. The gaps between the modules are covered with perforated coated aluminum plates, which provide rear ventilation for the facade. The facade also has an aluminum frame structure, which adds to its high-standard external appearance.