Do Composites Have a Future in Solar Energy?

Robert Noble, founder of Envision Solar, came to COMPOSITES+POLYCON searching for the composites industry’s help. As architect and engineer of Compositrees’, his company is looking for ways to cut down time and cost to his booming product. A Compositree product incorporates solar panels, parking solutions and sleek architecture into one.  “I came all the way here from San Diego because I thought composites could help,” Noble began. “One large problem, however, is the lack of specialized knowledge needed to incorporate composites into the structures.” We soon discovered it was the same in reverse. When Noble asked session attendees to raise their hands if they were familiar with solar panels, no one raised their hand. Throughout his 45 minute presentation Noble outlined projects his company is working on and their various applications, ranging from parking structures in malls, medical centers, a university campus and individual companies. He presented photos of his product and highlighted areas (such as framing) he hoped to replace current products. “This is a glimpse of the future,” he concluded. “Solar panels, ports for hybrid vehicles and local architecture.” The only question remains, will composites manufacturers be a part of that future? Envision Solar hopes so. For more information on solar panels or Compositrees, click here.