Solar films used for e-bike charging 'tree' in Germany

In the community of Löchgau in Germany, ASCA has designed and implemented a ‘solar tree’ for construction company STRENGER Bauen und Wohnen.

The solar tree produces electricity for the e-bike charging stations of three apartment buildings in a senior-friendly living residential complex. The project demonstrates the flexibility of ASCA’s organic solar films.

“With conventional technology, the individual shapes of the solar modules would not have been feasible,” said Hermann Issa, ASCA Senior Vice President of Business Development & Project Management, who also designed the solar tree.

The 2.5 m-long solar modules of the 6 m-high installation are made of organic solar films. ASCA laminated these with polycarbonate in cooperation with BGT Bischoff Glastechnik.

ASCA prints the organic photovoltaic cells (OPV) onto thin films using a special process. Green-coloured OPV films were used for the solar tree but the films can also be produced in blue, red and grey. The flat steel components of the solar tree were manufactured by the Kirchknopf metalworking shop, which also handled the onsite installation.

Nine solar foils from ASCA supply the e-bike charging station with solar electricity. Image credit ©ASCA.

“The overall design of solar modules and steel elements takes up the formal language of the surrounding buildings’ design and reflects the innovative character of the residential complex,” said Issa.

In addition to designing the system, ASCA also planned the system integration. The solar tree stands on the ceiling slab of an underground parking garage, where the other system components, such as the inverter, are located. If no e-bike is connected to the charging station, the electricity is used for the general power of the underground garage and the outdoor area.

The energy tree was created as part of a competition held by Löchgau.

“To implement a tree that provides energy, we found an excellent partner in ASCA, who had already created a concept proposal for us after only two meetings,” said Maren Gerhäusser, who was in charge of the solar tree at STRENGER. “Our cooperation with ASCA was excellent as it also was with the Kirchknopf metalworking shop, which supplied the ‘trunk’ and the ‘branches’ of the tree.”

Top image credit ©ASCA.