Rollable Solar — the Tape‑First Power Plan
Print power on a moving web, roll it up, ship it dense, and stick it pretty. Layouts are free‑form; wires route later. No frames, no roof holes, low drama — just fast sunshine.
Think of rollable solar as power you install like tape: print on a moving web, ship as spools, unroll on site, press to bond, seal the edges, and wire clean trunks later. This post turns line speed and spool geometry into MW, containers, days and coal‑equivalent for quick planning.
TL;DR for the curious
- What: thin, flexible solar printed roll‑to‑roll and shipped as spools.
- How fast: a single 1 m line @30 m/min prints ~7.78 MWp/day. A 5 m lay‑train unrolls ~38.9 MWp/day.
- Why 5 m: best blend of few seams + road‑legal logistics on “mega‑vans.”
- Sunny‑day swap: one 5 m train day ≈ ~133 short tons of coal not burned (at 6 sun‑hours).
- Logistics: use containers for 1 m spools; or stitch near port, roll onto trucks, and unroll the same day.
Why rollable beats frame‑and‑glass
- Continuous, not batch. If the web moves, watts appear.
- Fabric logistics. Power on spools; payload‑limited, not volume‑limited.
- Stick, don’t stab. PSA + edge seals → quiet roofs and low wind profile.
- Wires after. Tape first, route clean trunks later.
- Less metal, fewer steps. No racks, no frames, fewer parts to argue with.
We still honor codes, ratings, and electricians. We’re playful — not reckless.
How it’s made (pellet → power)
- Substrate in. Polymer or thin metal web unwinds.
- Coat & deposit. Barrier → conductors → photo‑active layers.
- Laser scribe. P1/P2/P3 lines shape long, thin series cells.
- Encapsulate & laminate. Weather seals, junction lamellas.
- Roll it. The finished laminate winds like ribbon. Be fast enough to roll.
Areal mass ~2–3.1 kg/m²; smooth black/white architectural finish.
Reference: 1 m spools, containers, and energy
Assumptions: width 1.0 m, thickness 2.0 mm, outer Ø 1.0 m, core Ø 0.20 m, density 180 W/m², areal mass 2.0 kg/m².
Annual energy per container
| Capacity factor | Annual energy | Coal equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | ≈ 4.28 GWh | ≈ 2,440 short tons |
| 25% | ≈ 5.35 GWh | ≈ 3,050 short tons |
| 30% | ≈ 6.42 GWh | ≈ 3,660 short tons |
Coal factor ~1.14 lb/kWh; 2,000 lb = 1 short ton.
Printing throughput (be fast enough to roll)
For a 1 m line at speed v (m/min): area/hour = v × 60 m²; nameplate/hour = 10.8 × v kWp.
| Line speed | kWp / hour | MWp / day | Containers / day* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m/min | 108 | 2.592 | ≈ 1.06 |
| 30 m/min | 324 | 7.776 | ≈ 3.18 |
| 60 m/min | 648 | 15.552 | ≈ 6.37 |
*One container ≈ 2.443 MWp. At 30 m/min, a line fills ~3.18 boxes/day.
How long to manufacture (per 1 m line)
Time to print one 40’ HC (≈ 2.443 MWp)
| Line speed | Hours / container |
|---|---|
| 10 m/min | ≈ 22.62 h |
| 30 m/min | ≈ 7.54 h |
| 60 m/min | ≈ 3.77 h |
Weekly & monthly output (24/7)
| Speed | MWp / week | Containers / week | MWp / month (30 d) | Containers / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m/min | ≈ 18.14 | ≈ 7.43 | ≈ 77.76 | ≈ 31.83 |
| 30 m/min | ≈ 54.43 | ≈ 22.28 | ≈ 233.28 | ≈ 95.49 |
| 60 m/min | ≈ 108.86 | ≈ 44.56 | ≈ 466.56 | ≈ 190.99 |
Milestones (per line @ 30 m/min)
- 1 MWp → ~3.09 h
- 10 MWp → ~1.29 days
- 100 MWp → ~12.86 days
- 600 MWp → ~77.16 days
At 70% OEE, one 1 m line @30 m/min ≈ ~2.0 GWp/yr; five lines ≈ ~10 GWp/yr.
Ship‑as‑Roll (5 m optimal) — roll onto mega‑vans, unroll the same day
Why 5 m? Wide enough to kill seam count, narrow enough for road permits. We stitch five 1 m lanes near the port into a 5 m mother‑web and spool it for trucking.
5 m mega‑spools (same thickness & core)
Assumptions: width 5.0 m, thickness 2.0 mm, core Ø 0.20 m, 180 W/m², 2.0 kg/m².
| Outer Ø | Length | Area | Nameplate | Mass | Empty @30 m/min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.30 m | ≈ 2,061.7 m | ≈ 10,308 m² | ≈ 1.856 MWp | ≈ 20.62 t | ≈ 68.7 min |
| 3.00 m | ≈ 3,518.6 m | ≈ 17,593 m² | ≈ 3.167 MWp | ≈ 35.19 t | ≈ 117.3 min |
| 4.00 m | ≈ 6,267.5 m | ≈ 31,337 m² | ≈ 5.641 MWp | ≈ 62.67 t | ≈ 208.9 min |
- Mega‑van default: Ø 2.30 m (~20.6 t). One drum per low‑bed; couple to a powered pay‑off and unroll within the hour.
- Breakbulk/Ro‑Ro: Ø 4.00 m (~62.7 t) for fewer changeovers; needs heavy lift at port/site.
- Note: Containers are still perfect for shipping 1 m spools. 5 m barrels are for road/breakbulk.
Unroll throughput (5 m)
| Unroll speed | MWp / hour | MWp / day | Spools/day (Ø 2.30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 m/min | 0.81 | 19.44 | ≈ 10.5 |
| 30 m/min | 1.62 | 38.88 | ≈ 21.0 |
Daily tonnage is set by area, not spool size. At 30 m/min you place ~432 t/day of laminate (2.0 kg/m²).
The mega‑van method (road)
- Stitch‑lam near port. Five 1 m lanes → 5 m web with seam bus channels.
- Spool & load. Wind to a Ø 2.30 m drum; cradle it on a low‑bed with removable shafts.
- Drive & couple. Wide‑load convoy; couple the drum to the powered pay‑off at the start pad.
- Unroll pass. 15–30 m/min; press rollers bond PSA stripes; edge‑seal bead follows.
- Wire drop & QC. Quick‑connect trunks every 50–100 m to 1,500 VDC skids; vision/IR + IV sniff trail the train.
Not a race — we just make it easy
We’re not chasing trophies. Speed is simply what happens when there are fewer parts and fewer decisions: unroll, press, seal, wire. Done.
- Fewer steps → fewer delays.
- Local first. Stitch‑lam at the port or inland; the factory is a kit, not a cathedral.
- Same‑day energy. Roll onto trucks, unroll on arrival, start counting kWh.
Sunny‑day output vs. the coal you’d have to burn
For a clear day, “sun‑hours” Hsun ≈ 4–7. Sunny‑day energy ≈ MWp × Hsun. Matching that with coal takes ~1.14 lb/kWh.
Quick compare (use Hsun=6 as a middle)
| Thing | Nameplate | Sunny‑day energy | Coal to match | Dump‑trucks* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One 5 m spool Ø 2.30 m | 1.856 MWp | ≈ 11.136 MWh | ≈ 6.35 short tons | ≈ 0.25 |
| One 40’ HC (36× 1 m spools) | 2.443 MWp | ≈ 14.658 MWh | ≈ 8.36 short tons | ≈ 0.33 |
| One 5 m lay‑train, 1 day @30 m/min | 38.88 MWp/day | ≈ 233.28 MWh | ≈ 133.0 short tons | ≈ 5.3 |
| “Solar carpet” 100 km × 5 m | ≈ 90 MWp | ≈ 540 MWh | ≈ 307.8 short tons | ≈ 12.3 |
| One 20 m lay‑train, 1 day @30 m/min | 155.52 MWp/day | ≈ 933.12 MWh | ≈ 531.9 short tons | ≈ 21.3 |
| Corridor 1,000 km × 20 m | ≈ 3.6 GWp | ≈ 21,600 MWh | ≈ 12,312 short tons | ≈ 492.5 |
*Big road trucks ≈ 25 short tons. Multiply energy & coal by (Hsun/6) for other sites.
Ships, containers — or none at all
We don’t always know how many containers fit a ship when we’re building locally. So we keep two doors open.
A) Containers (when they’re available)
- Rule‑of‑thumb: one 40’ HC ≈ 2.443 MWp (36× 1 m spools).
- Napkin ship math: Ship MWp ≈ 2.443 × FEUs; adjust for practical stowage/weight.
B) Local first (when boxes are scarce or unknown)
- Stitch near port or inland hub. Build 5 m webs from 1 m lanes.
- Mega‑vans. Roll onto low‑beds; unroll same day at 15–30 m/min.
- Breakbulk/Ro‑Ro. For coastal sprints, ship larger barrels and skip boxes.
The price in physics & materials
Material intensity: ~2.0 kg/m² (no glass, no frames) → ~90 W/kg at 180 W/m².
Indicative materials bill (per m²)
| Layer | Mass | Notes | Physics‑floor cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polymers (topcoat / encapsulants / substrate) | ~1.6 kg | fluoropolymer + EVA/ionomer + PET/PO | $4–$7 |
| Barrier stack | <0.05 kg | AlOx/SiOx or metallized film | $0.5–$1.5 |
| Conductors | ~0.08–0.15 kg | Cu/Al mesh & seam buses (minimize Ag) | $0.7–$2.5 |
| Active stack | <0.02 kg | thin‑film (perovskite/CIGS class) | $0.8–$3.0 |
| PSA + edge seals | ~0.2 kg | patterned stripes + perimeter bead | $0.8–$1.5 |
| Subtotal | ~2.0 kg | — | $7.8–$15.0 / m² |
At 180 W/m² → materials floor ~$0.043–$0.083/W. With depreciation, labor, energy, scrap, QA, warranty: factory‑gate often ~$0.15–$0.30/W at scale. Illustrative, not a quote.
Physics taxes to manage
- Flat vs tilt/tracking: −8–20% yield vs optimal tilt (latitude‑dependent).
- Heat: tempco ~−0.2 to −0.35%/°C; matte topcoats help.
- Soiling: arid sites 3–8% without light cleaning; add maintenance lanes.
- Wind uplift: design for ~1–3 kPa gust pressures; patterned PSA + edge anchors/berms.
- Seams: fewer is better; 5 m lanes are the sweet spot.
Not tiny dusts of progress — a real global factory
- Ink core: many 1 m R2R lines @30 m/min → ~2.0 GWp/yr per line (70% OEE).
- Port stitch hubs: combine 1 m lanes → 5 m mother‑webs; spool for road or breakbulk.
- Lay‑trains: regional fleets unroll at 15–30 m/min → ~19–39 MWp/day per train.
- Mass logistics: ~432 t/day laminate per train @30 m/min.
- Quality at speed: vision/IR, IV sniff, GNSS as‑built; flying splices to avoid stops.
From delightful demo to continental gigawatts — without waiting on bespoke fabs.
Will we have where to use the electricity?
Yes — if we plan the offtake as boldly as the carpet. Build 2–10 MW blocks, cluster to substations, and pair with flexible loads so midday watts never idle.
Primary sinks (pair from day one)
- Water: desalination & bulk pumping (gravity storage in canals/reservoirs).
- Ag‑industry: cold‑chain, milling, oilseed pressing, irrigation.
- Materials: cement grinding, aggregate washing, clay calcination (electrified), brick drying.
- Molecules: H2 → ammonia/fertilizer or methanol; run hardest at midday.
- Data & telecom: edge DCs, towers, rectifier loads.
- Transport: depots for e‑buses/e‑trucks; charge windows align with sun.
Grid strategy
- 1500 V DC blocks → pad‑mount MV → substation ring → HV/HVDC corridor.
- Storage light, loads heavy: prioritize controllable demand; add 1–2 h storage only where it multiplies value.
- PPA creativity: co‑locate industry; treat the corridor as a power‑industrial park.
Stretch: 20 m mother‑web (breakbulk “mega‑roll”)
Where ports & corridors allow outsized loads, 20 m goes faster (fewer seams, fewer stops).
| Outer Ø | Length | Nameplate | Mass | Empty @30 m/min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 m | ≈ 3.52 km | ≈ 12.67 MWp | ≈ 140.7 t | ≈ 1.96 h |
| 4.0 m | ≈ 6.27 km | ≈ 22.56 MWp | ≈ 250.7 t | ≈ 3.49 h |
Heavy‑lift & sea‑fastening required. 5 m gets you moving almost everywhere; 20 m is the coastal sprint mode.
Back‑of‑envelope you can do in front of a mayor
- Sunny‑day energy: MWh ≈ MWp × Hsun (use 4–7).
- Coal (short tons): ≈ 0.00057 × kWh → with MWh just multiply by 0.57.
- Dump‑trucks: short tons ÷ 25 (big road trucks).
- Lay‑train pace (5 m): MWp/h ≈ 0.054 × speed(m/min) → 30 m/min ≈ 1.62 MWp/h.
- Lay‑train pace (20 m): MWp/h ≈ 0.216 × speed(m/min) → 30 m/min ≈ 6.48 MWp/h.
Enough to make real‑time decisions without spreadsheets.
Pre‑calculated: a real roof
Warehouse: 100,000 ft² → 9,290 m²; use 70% for modules.
- Covered area: ≈ 6,503 m²
- Nameplate: ≈ 1.171 MWp (at 180 W/m²)
- Added dead load: ≈ 13.0 t (at 2.0 kg/m²)
- Annual energy (20% CF): ≈ 2.051 GWh
- Coal equivalent / yr: ≈ 1,169 short tons
A friendly (and hilarious) compare
Nuclear: the stoic marathoner — slow to first kWh, very steady later.
Rollable solar: the energetic sprinter — on the ground this quarter, banking kWh while the ribbon scissors are still in the mail. We love both; we just really love arriving early.
Numbers are rounded & illustrative; check codes, wind, fire, ports, permits, and road rules for your site. No scripts were harmed in the making of this page.