Zurich – Zurich Soft Robotics plans to launch its movable façade system for photovoltaics in 2024. A test facility in Dübendorf ZH has proved its worth. The start-up is now setting up its own production facility. The first major project is to be implemented at Keller Druckmesstechnik AG in Winterthur.
Zurich Soft Robotics plans to launch its photovoltaic façade system on the market in 2024, according to a press release. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH) has developed Solskin, a system that produces renewable solar power and can also be used to provide shade indoors. Thanks to a patented robot drive and artificial intelligence, the moving photovoltaic modules are able to follow the path of the sun.
Solskin was tested for two years at the NEST research and innovation building at the Swiss Federal Laboratoriesfor Materials Science and Technology (Empa) in Dübendorf. In the course of the pilot project, Zurich Soft Robotics was able to achieve important milestones in terms of industrialization, reliability and maintenance.
The Zurich-based start-up is now setting up its own production facility for smaller systems, as detailed in the press release. Several small projects are then to be implemented in 2024. This will be followed by a major project at Keller Druckmesstechnik AG in Winterthur. A new main production building is to be built there by 2025, which will be equipped with a 1300 square meter Solskin façade. According to Zurich Soft Robotics, it will use around 40 prefabricated Solskin modules.
Zurich Soft Robotics will be exhibiting from 30. November 30 to December 12 in the SWISS Pavilion at the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai(COP28). ce/ssp