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Ankara Solar, Turkey’s largest solar manufacturer, recently launched a range of walkable solar panels that feature a durable, non-slip glass surface and can be installed in floors and open areas both indoors and outdoors. Ankara Solar’s PV Floor is a building-integrated photovoltaic option for developers, architects and builders looking to maximise sustainability and energy efficiency on-site.

Solar roads, which have garnered a lot of media attention in the past as the next big trend, aren’t really feasible in most cases, while rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems are a proven winner in renewable energy generation. Modern solar panels are reliable, inexpensive, and are getting more efficient every year, but just mounting them over our heads still leaves a lot of potential land untapped for solar power generation. Putting roads, paths, and highways aside, the ground beneath our feet in and around residential and commercial properties is a virtually untapped resource for on-site deployment of photovoltaic technology. Solar pavers are one option we’ve covered before, but another name for this emerging technology is solar flooring, or as Ankara Solar calls it, PV ground technology.

“Innovative Technology: Our PV floor tiles are designed to harness the power of the sun, converting sunlight into clean, renewable electricity. These innovative flooring systems feature highly efficient solar cells embedded in durable, walkable surfaces, allowing you to effortlessly generate energy as you go about your daily activities. Thanks to advanced materials and engineering, our PV floors are built to withstand heavy use, impact and abrasion, ensuring long-lasting performance and reliability.

“Sustainable Design: At a time when sustainability is of paramount importance, our PV floors offer an elegant solution to reduce carbon footprint and promote energy efficiency. Incorporating solar technology into your floors allows you to make the most of the available space while minimizing environmental impact. Our PV floor systems are not only environmentally friendly, but also aesthetically pleasing and come in a range of colors and designs to suit any architectural style.

“Versatile Applications: Whether you are looking to upgrade a commercial space, residential building or public area, our PV floors are versatile enough to cover a wide range of applications. Ideal for shopping malls, office buildings, homes, parks and more, our floors can be installed both indoors and outdoors, providing a seamless energy solution wherever it is needed. The water and dust resistance of our PV tiles ensures optimal performance in a wide range of environments.

“Smart integration: Our PV floor systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with modern smart technologies. Compatible with IoT and smart building systems, our floors can optimize energy production and consumption, providing real-time data and analytics to help you manage your energy consumption more effectively. Integrated energy storage options allow you to store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during cloudy periods, ensuring a consistent energy supply.”

PV Floor is currently available in two sizes and can be manufactured in different colors and designs to match the style of the building. The PVF-08-30W is a 420 mm² (16.53 inch) 30-watt panel and the PVF-32-120W is an 820 mm² (32.28 inch) 120-watt panel, both covered with 8 mm thick anti-slip glass (R10 certified). In an article at pvmagazineA spokesperson for Ankara Solar explained that installing the PV ground product “requires adjustable bases” which the company provides and which have “a central load capacity of 1000 kg”. The full specifications of the PV ground product are available on the company’s website.

Images: Screenshots of the product brochure, courtesy of Ankara Solar Energy.