Case Study: The Suntech Weinbourg Farm project, France

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The Weinbourg Farm solar project, utilizing the Just Roof system from Suntech is one for the world's largest BIPV solar systems. The project, which was completed in 2009, spreads out over five agricultural warehouses in France.

The system, designed and developed by Jean-Luc Westphal and la société Créaelec and owned by Hanau Energies is 4.5MW, consists of 26,470 panels over an area of 36,000m2 and saves an estimated 4,500,000kWh annually.

While Hanau Energies owns the project, their buildings are also located on site including central offices, showroom, amphitheater and a parking lot. "For me, Just Roof is the best BIPV solution available. The system is quick to install, has an excellent aesthetic finish, and offers the best combination of value and quality. Suntech is the only company with a truly integrated BIPV system that is able to supply in the necessary quantities." Jean-Luc Westphal president, Hanau Energies.

Suntech's solar roof system was originally released in 1994 and has already been installed on over 4,000 homes and commercial buildings on a global scale. The roofing system features interlocking panels mounted on specially designed rails to give a highly aesthetic weatherproof building skin that can be installed quickly and with ease.

France's BIPV feed-in tariff has been revised in order to promote the growth of this type of integration. The FiT is now set at