United Solar Ovonic to Supply Solar Laminates to Itochu

United Solar Ovonic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, has entered into a multi-year agreement to supply its Uni-Solar brand solar laminates to Japanese trading firm Itochu, for use on large-scale rooftop installations on industrial and commercial buildings worldwide.

United Solar Ovonic said that the laminates offer cost-effective solutions for roofing applications because they are lightweight, flexible and can be integrated directly with building materials.

The company said that the laminates are around three-to-five times lighter than conventional solar modules which use glass, for use in low-load bearing roof applications.

Yutaka Kato, Itochu’s COO of industrial machinery and solution division, said: “Uni-Solar laminates are a natural fit for us, because they can be integrated directly into roofing materials and provide a faster return on investment than competitive solar products.”