French startup Heliup has launched its first industrial production line for ultra-lightweight photovoltaic (PV) panels, aiming to scale low-carbon rooftop solar for commercial and industrial buildings.
Located in Cheylas, Isère, the new 4,000m² plant will manufacture 350,000 panels annually, totalling 100MWp in capacity.
It is expected to create 100 direct and 150 indirect jobs and avoid over 360,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions over its first decade.
Heliup’s panels are three times lighter than standard solar panels, weighing just 5kg/m².
Built using patented technology developed with CEA’s National Institute for Solar Energy (INES), they offer the same durability and performance with 60% less system weight.
This enables solar installations on rooftops previously unsuitable due to structural constraints.
The company’s innovation replaces the need for expensive building reinforcements, encouraging wider rooftop solar adoption across Europe.
Heliup has received backing from the EU Innovation Fund through the SHEEFT project and plans to build a larger factory by 2028, with an investment of up to €50 million.
France’s first ultra-light solar panel production line begins appeared first on Energy Live News.