
Scottish solar manufacturer AES Solar has launched a new service to custom-build solar thermal panels, opening up new possibilities for architects, designers and specifiers to install non-standard sizes to maximise power output.
Taking their standard sizes and designs, these can be altered to meet specific requirements and adjusted to maintain collector area and thus output performance.
Some these options were recently used by Edinburgh-based Solar Kingdom in its shortlisted project for the Solar Power Portal Awards.
Not only can the shape be altered to accommodate difficult roof areas, the frames are now available in a range of colours.
Set up in 1979, Moray-based AES Solar was the first solar thermal manufacturer in the UK and, in the last twelve months, the workforce has continued to grow, increasing by 50% despite the challenges the solar industry currently faces.
Meanwhile, Japanese manufacturing conglomerate Panasonic has also launched a non-standard size 295-watt solar panel for small and/or unusually-shaped roofs.