What was once just a shield from the sun may now also help power the space beneath it. A German startup is bringing electricity generation to a familiar feature of outdoor hospitality: the terrace awning.
SolarMarkise UG, based in Essen, has developed a folding-arm awning with photovoltaic cells integrated directly into the fabric. The company says it spent two years refining the material so that it stays firmly tensioned when extended and can still be rolled up like conventional awning cloth.
When open, the fabric converts sunlight into direct current. An inverter then changes it into alternating current, which is fed into a building’s electrical system through a standard wall socket. Surplus energy can be held temporarily in a battery for later use.
The technology is already in use in Cologne. According to the company, a grill restaurant in the Ehrenfeld district has installed the awnings, as covered by the newspaper Express. The company states that together they reach a peak output of around 1800 watts, enough to cover a significant portion of the restaurant’s electricity needs.
Co-founder Ivan Pavlovic describes the concept as a combination of solar energy and shading. For businesses with sunny outdoor areas, the approach points to a way of using existing structures to supply part of their own power.
Image courtesy: SolarMarkise