Economy & Tech

Vertical Solar Panels: An Innovative and Space-Saving Option for Japan

As an alternative to horizontal panels, vertical solar panels could boost renewable energy generation in Japan's land-scarce urban areas and snow-prone regions.

Published

12 months ago

May 2, 2023

The Sankei Shimbun

Vertically mounted solar power system developed by Air Water and Luxor Solar in Sapporo (Photo courtesy of Air Water).

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Vertical Solar Panels: An Innovative and Space-Saving Option for Japan

Air Water Inc., a major industrial gas company, and Luxor Solar, a German solar panel manufacturer, have jointly developed a new solar power generation system. The Vertical Solar System for Parking Area (VERPA) will be sold in Japan from May. In its first venture into the solar power business, Air Water aims to achieve annual sales of ¥100 billion JPY (roughly $736 million USD) by 2030.

Advantages of Vertical Solar Panels

The newly-developed system uses solar panels that stand vertically, as opposed to conventional solar panels that are mounted horizontally.

When installed, VERPA's panels stand at a height of two meters from the ground. Accordingly, the system can be mounted in locations with limited ground space available and areas that experience heavy snowfall.

*The vertically mounted solar panels standing two meters off the ground in a snowy parking lot in Sapporo (Photo courtesy of Air Water).*

By design, the VERPA system does not block the view of drivers and pedestrians when installed in parking lots in urban areas, ensuring safety.

A spokesperson for Air Water commented, "VERPA is a response to demand in Japan, where there are few suitable sites for solar power generation."

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth.

And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our new website Japan 2 Earth (J2E), sparking a transition to the future.