Heliatek’s truly green and organic solar films

Heliatek’s organic solar films – 
A truly green electricity generating technology

Dresden, 22.10.2019

Heliatek, the world-leader in organic solar energy solutions, announces today that its award-winning technology have been certified by TÜV Rheinland in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to have a carbon footprint of less than 16 kg CO₂e/m2. For a sustainable future under the advancing climate change, the growing energy demand of our planet must be supplied by eco-friendly, low carbon energy sources. Heliatek has developed industrial-grade organic solar films for virtually any surface of any building, thereby delivering energy solutions that make a significant contribution to avoid greenhouse gas emissions.

Heliatek’s organic solar films already save the CO₂e (CO₂ equivalent) generated through its entire life cycle from production to its disposal after less than 3 months. “We are proud to announce that we are delivering one of the greenest ways to generate electricity while massively avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. The unique composition of our organic solar films with non-toxic materials and the PET based protection films will even make disposal hassle-free and environmentally friendly at the same time.” says Guido van Tartwijk, CEO of Heliatek.

To compare the carbon footprint with other solar technologies, all results need to be converted to g CO₂e/kWh to reflect the electricity generation over lifetime depending on a specific location. For South Europe, HeliaSol® has a carbon footprint of 5-7 g CO₂e/kWh (7-9 g CO₂e/kWh in Central Europe), which is already beating all other solar technologies.

Standard crystalline silicon modules achieve values of 40-100 g CO₂e /kWh depending on their installation location and origin of production. “With the continuing increase of our solar cell efficiency, we will bring the carbon footprint of our product even further down to become the energy source with the lowest carbon footprint in the world including hydroelectric, wind and solar power. This is a truly green product.“, says Jan Birnstock, CTO of Heliatek.

Heliatek is currently installing its large-scale production line for their unique OPV solar films. The line is in the ramp-up phase and will produce organic solar films with an annual capacity of up to 1 million m² from mid-2020.

About the Life Cycle Assessment from TÜV Rheinland

As one of the first companies in the solar industry, TÜV Rheinland has certified Heliatek’s HeliaSol^® in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in accordance to ISO 14040/44. This analyze provides a structured and comprehensive method to quantify the potential environmental impact of material and energy flows of all stages of a product life, from acquisition of raw materials over the production and use up to end-of-life treatment including all transportation/delivery routes (“Cradle-to-Grave”). The location-specific conversion to g CO₂e/kWh was calculated by Heliatek.

The TÜV Rheinland certificate is available online under the ID number below and can be accessed by scanning the following QR code:

About Heliatek

As the technology leader in organic photovoltaics, Heliatek develops, produces and distributes industrial-grade organic PV solar solutions for virtually any building surface (horizontal, vertical, curved, rigid, and flexible). Heliatek stands for energy solutions designed for various traditional and never been possible before applications based on its unique features – ultra-light, flexible and truly green. HeliaSol^® is a ready-to-use solution, ideal for retrofitting on existing building structures. HeliaFilm^® is tailor–made solar film for companies in the building and construction material industry, to integrate into their façade or roof system products. Heliatek currently employs about 160 people at the Dresden and Ulm locations in Germany.

The Free State of Saxony, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the European Union funded research and development, as well as the installation of the production technology.

Press contact at Heliatek:

Heliatek GmbH / Treidlerstr. 3 / 01139 Dresden

Stephan Kube – Head of Marketing

Tel: +49 351 213 034-421

Mail: stephan.kube@heliatek.com