December 6, 2015

Revolutionary Design Eliminates Racking and Roof Penetrations, Dramatically Increasing Installation Efficiency

Lumeta, LLC announced today that its second generation LPP modules, the LPP-175S and LPP-185T residential solar modules with their new form factor that applies adhesively to roofs, have received certification in accordance with UL Standard 1703. The LPP-175S, designed for application over asphalt shingle roofs was developed in conjunction with Fraunhofer CSE as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Plug and Play PV for American Homes program, which is funded by the DOE’s SunShot initiative.

The LPP-185T, designed for application over concrete tile roofs, was developed as a complimentary product to the LPP-175 in order to address the complexity and labor intensity of installing rack mounted PV systems over concrete tile roofs. Lumeta’s LPP modules solve a myriad of challenges associated with traditional solar systems – from numerous roof penetrations and less than ideal aesthetics, to the installation time and complexity associated with standard rack mounted systems.

Lumeta solar systems utilize crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology, with solutions for composite shingle, s-tile and flat tile rooftops that are durable, aesthetically pleasing to homeowners, and simplify the installation process.

In mid-November, 2014, Fraunhofer CSE successfully completed the first full-scale public installation and interconnection of its DOE funded Plug and Play PV System utilizing the Lumeta LPP-175S modules. The entire installation and commissioning of the 3kW system was completed in less than one hour.

“Our initial intention based on feedback from our commercial roofing customers, was to re-engineer the standard form factor to create a glassless, lighter module that would eliminate penetrations to the roof system,” states Timothy M. Davey, chief executive officer, Lumeta LLC. “What evolved from our collaboration with Fraunhofer, is a residential system that we expect to be a highly disruptive entrant into the U.S.solar marketplace.“

Lumeta’s patented LPP modules represent an innovative approach to packaging high performance monocrystalline cells into a finished solar panel with a thin, lightweight form factor that can be adhesively applied directly to rooftops, eliminating the need for rack mounted hardware and penetrations to the roof. The low profile, clean, monolithic array with its patent pending on-board wire management system, provides superior aesthetics for discerning homeowners, and the elimination of rack mounted hardware provides installers with a dramatic reduction in installation time and cost.

For asphalt shingle roofs, installers are able to complete 5x the number of residential installations in the same time period and utilizing the same work force as for a standard rack mounted system. The efficiency gain is even more dramatic for tile roof systems, with a 15x installation velocity differentiation.

“Many homeowners are reluctant to utilize solar due to the negative aesthetic impact on their home and potential for damage to the roof system,” continues Davey.

The LPP-175S for asphalt shingle roofs and LPP-185T for s-tile and flat tile roofs address these concerns with their penetration-free installation, and low profile, sleek design that blends seamlessly into the roofline.

For installers, increased installation efficiency combined with the dramatic reduction in BOS and labor costs provide unparalleled industry advantages.

The company is currently speaking with a number of potential launch customers.