SunRoof, a Swedish start-up that creates 2-in-1 smart roof and innovative facade solutions that generate electricity from the Sun, opens a branch in Germany.
SunRoof has developed their own technology and has already completed more than 100 projects in Sweden, Norway, Poland and Switzerland. Germany is another European market where customers are to be given the opportunity to create a smart and self-sufficient home in terms of energy, thanks to SunRoof’s solar innovations.
Its success of integrating solar into a roof is determined by its key advantages: It functions as a roof while also generating electricity from the sun without additional photovoltaic installations and looks like modern roof tiles. Fewer parts are needed compared to a standard roof & photovoltaic installation. A solar roof from SunRoof creates the smallest CO2 footprint in its category, bringing us closer to achieving climate neutrality.
Why an extra layer?
In October 2016, Tesla introduced their Solar Roof and garnered worldwide attention. Since then, only a couple of States in the US have got Solar Roof installations. A further timeline for Europe and Australia is missing. The question or demand is clear, if a new building or a roof renovation wants solar, why should it need a second layer of roof tiles?
SunRoof will close that gap. The target group for the integrated SunRoof is not only people who are looking for a premium roof; it is a solution for everybody interested in the design aspects of roof integration. It is organised in three levels. The base is waterproofing, the middle builds the wooden framework, and the cover is created with glass-glass solar modules which turn sunlight into electricity and are also the water-bearing layer. The cover layer of SunRoof takes over the function of the roof tiles and a standard photovoltaic system.
SunRoof continues to create an entire ecosystem of solutions to support smart energy management – from a solar roof, a power monitoring and management app, to a unique solution on the Europe-wide energy marketplace, enabling the sale of excess energy from solar roofs.
SunRoof is growing rapidly
The company was established in 2013 in Sweden with the mission of creating a roof which looks modern, is consistent with the house architecture, and offers everyone access to sustainable energy. While the first years were mainly spent on developing and testing its own technology, SunRoof gained momentum in 2018 after Lech Kaniuk joined the company. Lech Kaniuk has successfully founded, invested and managed a number of well recognised companies and was a co-founder of Delivery Hero. One year after the experienced entrepreneur and investor joined the company, SunRoof recorded 500 per cent growth, year-on-year, even before it started expanding abroad. Last month, it announced the acquisition of €2 million in funding from Europe’s leading VC funds, which it wants to spend on expansion into new markets. A series A funding is planned for Q1/Q2 2021 to roll out the technology country-by-country.
Energy pioneer Germany
“Germany is a pioneer in implementing the energy revolution. Integrated solutions are the future of ecological construction, which is why we are introducing Scandinavian technology to the German market. By combining innovation and good design, we want to actively participate in creating the sustainable cities of the future and switching to renewable energy. I am convinced that with Robert Bruchner on board, who will be responsible for business activities in Germany and who understands how important the development of clean technologies is for us, we can strengthen our participation in the green energy transition,” says Lech Kaniuk, CEO of SunRoof.
Robert Bruchner is to be the new Country Manager Germany at SunRoof. He has gained significant experience during 13 years at different companies and in different roles in the solar and storage industry. Before Robert Bruchner started his first job in the solar industry in 2007, he installed a PV system on his parents’ house to get hands-on experience. During the last four years, he was Tesla Channel Sales Manager, in which position he created the Certified Installer network from scratch.
“I am looking forward to launching such a product like SunRoof with so many benefits. The roof and photovoltaics will be installed without unnecessary roof tiles, hooks and a solar mounting system. The combination of string inverters or optimiser modules, as well as storage, heat pumps and wallboxes are possible. Everybody who gets a quote will be surprised how competitive the price for the roof integrated solution will be,” Robert Bruchner says. (mfo)
