Lighter load opens aging factory and warehouse rooftops to solar power
International certifications secured as company targets public, manufacturing and logistics markets
'Spaces once too difficult to install on can become new solar power assets'
An ultralight solar module designed to tackle one of the persistent obstacles to rooftop solar power — the weight burden on building structures — has entered the South Korean market in earnest. Aging factories, logistics centers and industrial facilities that were previously off-limits for solar installation due to load constraints are now being considered as potential generation sites.
Plantech Korea announced Tuesday that it has obtained KS C 8561 certification for a crystalline silicon solar module weighing approximately 3 kilograms per square meter and has begun supplying the product. The company said this is the first time a 3 kg-class ultralight solar module has received certification under the domestic standard.
The product's distinguishing feature goes beyond simply being light. While conventional solar installations must account for the combined weight of both the module and its supporting structure, Plantech Korea redesigned the module itself to dramatically reduce the load required for installation.
The company uses crystalline silicon cells but replaces the glass and aluminum frame found in conventional modules with a specialized polymer material. As a result, the module weighs approximately 3 kilograms per square meter — roughly one-thirteenth the load of a typical installation, which reaches about 40 kilograms per square meter when the supporting structure is included.
This effectively expands the range of buildings eligible for solar installation. Rooftops previously excluded from solar projects due to load concerns, or that would have required costly structural reinforcement, can now be reconsidered as viable sites.
The company sees particularly strong potential in aging industrial facilities where roof structures are weak or large-scale reinforcement work would be prohibitively expensive. Plantech Korea plans to extend the product's reach beyond logistics centers and manufacturing plants to livestock farms, chemical plants and coastal industrial complexes.
Durability was also a priority. Alongside the KS C 8561 certification, the product has obtained international certifications including IEC 61215, IEC 61730 and the European CE mark. It has also passed salt mist, ammonia and potential-induced degradation tests, making it suitable for environments with high exposure to salt or corrosive substances, the company said.
On price competitiveness, the company said the module unit cost should be evaluated against the total installation process rather than the module price alone. While the ultralight product carries a higher per-module price than conventional options, it can reduce spending on supporting structures and structural reinforcement work.
Plantech Korea said the approach can lower both material and installation costs while shortening construction timelines. The company said installation time can be cut to about one-third that of conventional methods, and total project costs can come in at or below those of standard solar installations.
Since obtaining certification, the company has secured its first supply order from the public sector and is in the final stages of product review with large manufacturing conglomerates and logistics companies. It is also in supply discussions with RE100-committed companies and solar engineering, procurement and construction firms.
Plantech Korea's ambitions extend beyond the existing solar market. The company aims to convert buildings and industrial facilities previously excluded from solar projects on economic or structural grounds into new generation assets. It projects that viable project capacity could reach more than 173 megawatts by 2027.
"Existing lightweight solar products were either expensive or had limitations in efficiency and warranty," Chief Executive Oh Jung-yeop said. "Rather than simply competing within the existing solar market, we intend to turn spaces that were previously ruled out on feasibility grounds into new power-generating assets."
Oh previously worked at Samsung E&A on overseas plant and renewable energy projects before founding Plantech Korea. He subsequently managed overseas factory construction for domestic manufacturers, supporting battery and materials companies in establishing production bases in Europe.
Within the industry, attention is growing not only to improving generation efficiency but also to solving the question of where solar panels can actually be installed. The ultralight module's ability to lower the structural safety barrier that has long constrained deployment could bring idle rooftops and industrial facilities into the solar power fold.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
