What Polysolar does

Polysolar Ltd. is a Cambridge, UK-headquartered developer and installer of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), founded in 2007 and operating as a private limited company with 1–10 employees and offices in Cambridge and London (Canary Wharf). The company designs, manufactures, supplies, installs and commissions photovoltaic glazing solutions — notably transparent solar glass panels (PS-CT series at 20/40/50% transparency and PS-MC-ST monocrystalline glass-glass panels rated at 19% efficiency with a 30-year 87% power guarantee), lightweight flexible PV for membrane roofs and polytunnels, and amorphous silicon panels for specialised applications. R&D centres on Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) and next-generation perovskite materials via partnerships with Swansea University, Imperial College London, the University of Oxford (as industrial partner in a £6M EPSRC grant), the Royce Institute and the University of Cambridge, where the CEO co-authored agrivoltaics research published in Advanced Energy Materials.

The commercial model is project-based hardware sales through competitive public-sector tenders and direct enterprise sales. Core customers are UK local authorities (Leicester, Mid Suffolk, Babergh, Tewkesbury, Sandwell, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Rochdale) procuring solar carports, BIPV façades, EV charging hubs and curtain walls, supplemented by transport infrastructure operators (Liverpool South Parkway, Cambridge North, London Stadium, Southampton) and select enterprise clients (Shell, Sainsbury's, Electric Berries). Pricing is bespoke and quote-based with no public list. Revenue streams are augmented by R&D grant income (£20k from Royce/Supergen in 2022; £6M EPSRC grant as industrial partner), CPD training for architects, and emerging international projects (Taiwan, Gibraltar, Uruguay) plus a 2026 Innovate UK incubator expansion to New Zealand with Sprout Agritech. The company is BSI, CE Mark, MCS, RISQS, NFU Energy and RECC certified, and has won recognition including RHS Chelsea Flower Show Silver Medal (2025), Energy Project of the Year – Public (2023) and Network Rail Environment Award (2022).

Name

Polysolar

Legal name

Polysolar Ltd.

Website

https://polysolar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Polysolar Ltd. is a Cambridge, UK-based developer and installer of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), supplying transparent solar glass panels, lightweight flexible PV and agrivoltaic solutions primarily to UK local authorities, transport hubs and select enterprises through project-based tenders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) / Solar Glass Manufacturing

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction (237130)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar PV Module Manufacturing (Cells, Modules, Thin-Film) (EUAMABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Next-Gen Photovoltaics R&D (Perovskite, Tandem, Organic, BIPV Materials) (EUAMAOAA), Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

Keywords

• Building integrated photovoltaics
• Transparent solar glass
• Solar carports
• Agrivoltaic solutions
• Lightweight solar panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. BIPV Project Sales and Installation: Polysolar designs, manufactures, supplies, installs and commissions BIPV solutions including solar canopies, facades, skylights, and roofing systems. Revenue generated through project-based installation contracts with local authorities, commercial developers, and government bodies.
2. Research and Development Grants: Participation in collaborative research grants with universities (Swansea, Imperial, Oxford) and access to cutting-edge processes at the Royce Institute. Awarded Royce Tokens and Supergen Super Solar grants worth £20,000 total for OPV technology development.
3. Consulting and CPD Training: CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions on BIPV solutions for architects and building professionals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Polysolar designs, manufactures, supplies, installs, and commissions Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) including transparent and semi-transparent solar glass panels, lightweight flexible solar PV for membrane roofs and polytunnels, solar carports with EV charging and battery storage, solar facades and curtain walls, and solar skylights for new-build and retrofit projects. The company also delivers agrivoltaic solutions enabling dual food and energy production on farms, alongside CPD training for architects and R&D collaboration with UK universities.

Product overview

Polysolar is a Cambridge-based developer and producer of transparent and lightweight solar photovoltaic solutions for the architectural market. The product portfolio centres on Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), with core offerings including Transparent PV Glass panels (PS-CT, PS-MC, PS-A series) available in multiple transparency levels, Lightweight Solar panels for membrane and lightweight structures, and comprehensive Agrivoltaics Solutions for agricultural applications. The company provides complete systems including Solar Carports with integrated EV charging, Battery Storage (BESS), Solar Skylights, and Solar Façades. Supporting services include CPD training for architects, R&D collaboration, and project development. The product line spans from transparent glass panels for aesthetic architectural integration to flexible lightweight panels for non-standard structures, unified by the core photovoltaic generation technology that enables buildings and agricultural structures to generate renewable electricity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transparent PV Glass Transparent solar glass panels at multiple transparency levels (20%, 40%, 50%) that allow natural light transmission while generating clean solar electricity, used in Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) applications for canopies, skylights, conservatories, and building facades. Designed for architects, building owners, and developers seeking to combine daylighting with renewable power generation.
• Lightweight Solar Flexible, lightweight photovoltaic panels designed for installation on structures that cannot support traditional glass panels, such as membrane roofs (e.g., London Stadium 1,256 kWp on Fatra membrane) and polytunnels. Suited to large-area commercial roofs, agricultural structures, and protective roofing where weight loads are constrained.
• Agrivoltaics Solutions Polysolar's agrivoltaic offering covering solar polytunnels, greenhouses, and barn roofs that enable dual-purpose structures generating clean energy while supporting food production, helping farmers diversify income streams while optimising land use.
• Solar Carports - Commercial Commercial solar carport structures combining BIPV roofs with EV charging infrastructure (Tesla Powerwall battery storage, Rolec chargers) for council, commercial, and retail parking applications. Generates electricity while providing weather shelter for parked vehicles and active EV charging capability.
• Solar Skylights Transparent solar PV glazing for skylights and roofing that combines renewable energy generation with natural daylighting, reduces thermal gain, and lowers building energy losses. Installed in commercial and residential roofs.
• Solar Façades Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solutions for building exteriors, including curtain walls, façade cladding, and power-generating walls for architectural applications on commercial and public buildings.
• Battery Storage and EV Charging Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) integrated with Polysolar solar installations and EV charging infrastructure (Tesla Powerwall, Rolec EV chargers) to deliver complete renewable energy solutions for councils, commercial customers, and EV hubs.
• Solar for Schools Solar canopy solutions designed specifically for educational institutions, providing weather-protected outdoor areas with on-site clean energy generation.
• PS-CT Series Polysolar's proprietary PS-CT Series transparent solar glass panel product line at 20%, 40%, and 50% transparency levels for different light transmission requirements in canopies, skylights, and façades.
• PS-MC Series Polysolar's proprietary PS-MC Series semi-transparent glass-glass solar panels using monocrystalline silicon cell technology with 19% efficiency and a 30-year 87% power guarantee for high-performance building-integrated applications.
• PS-A Series Polysolar's proprietary PS-A Series amorphous silicon transparent panels used in specialised applications (e.g., solar PV inverter test rigs) where high DC voltage is required from compact panel dimensions.
• CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) presentations on BIPV solutions delivered to architects and building professionals for specifier education.
• R&D Services Research and development collaboration services offered to universities and partners, including contribution of products, technology, and know-how across BIPV and Automotive Integrated Photovoltaics (AIPV) applications and support for collaborative funding streams such as Innovate UK and EPSRC grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1GW hours of clean electricity per year from London Stadium installation (1,256kWp)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Sprout AgritechflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with New Zealand's leading agritech accelerator and investor for Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme 2026. Polysolar joins five other UK agritech innovators to road-test lightweight flexible solar PV for polytunnels in New Zealand. The programme includes two in-market visits (June and October 2026) coinciding with Fieldays, the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event.
• NFU EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNew partnership announced for delivering solar solutions to the agricultural sector. NFU Energy connects Polysolar with NFU members (farmers and growers) seeking renewable energy solutions.
• NewFramecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic and installation partner for solar canopy projects including Harrow Solar Garden Canopy. NewFrame handles installation while Polysolar provides the solar glass technology.
• 123VminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for bespoke solar PV canopy solutions. 123V designed and constructed solar PV inverter test rigs for Forth Valley College using Polysolar's amorphous silicon transparent panels.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for agrivoltaic research. CEO Hamish Watson co-authored research published in Advanced Energy Materials on tinted semi-transparent solar glass for agriculture. Research showed +2.5% gross financial gain for basil and +35% for spinach under test.
• Swansea University, Imperial College London, University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey industrial partner in £6 million EPSRC grant award for development of organic and perovskite solar technology applications. Polysolar contributes products, technology and know-how in areas of BIPV and Automotive Integrated Photovoltaics (AIPV).
• Henry Ford CollegeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for solar PV inverter training test rig project. Forth Valley College (not Henry Ford - this appears to be an error in source) used the test rig for student training at Renewable and Energy Efficiency Training Centre.
• Innovate UKflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK government innovation agency running Global Incubator Programme in New Zealand. Polysolar selected as one of six UK agritech innovators for 2026 cohort focusing on on-farm energy generation and agrivoltaics.
• Glass & GeneralminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInstallation partner for Liverpool South Parkway solar facade project.
• GreenbridgeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInstallation partner for Liverpool South Parkway solar facade project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Physee: Dutch startup developing transparent solar coatings for windows and facades (PowerWindow). Comparable product profile to Polysolar's transparent PV glass for built-environment applications.
• Onyx Solar: Spanish manufacturer of transparent and semi-transparent photovoltaic glass for building integration (facades, canopies, skylights). Closest direct competitor to Polysolar's PS-CT and PS-MC-ST product lines in architectural BIPV.
• Brite Solar: Greek developer of transparent organic and perovskite PV coatings for greenhouses and facades. Highly comparable to Polysolar's agrivoltaic glass and next-gen OPV research direction.
• Ubiquitous Energy: US-based developer of transparent photovoltaic window glass targeting commercial facades. Direct competitor in transparent BIPV, with comparable technology focus on light-transmissive solar glass.
• ClearVue Technologies: Australia-listed developer of transparent BIPV glazing for windows, facades and greenhouses. Competes directly with Polysolar in transparent glass BIPV and shares an agrivoltaic/greenhouse go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• Vitro Architectural Glass: Major North American architectural glass producer offering Solarvolt BIPV glass solutions. Larger incumbent with deeper distribution that increasingly competes in transparent BIPV facades.
• Saint-Gobain: French multinational building materials group with extensive glass and solar product lines relevant to BIPV facades. Competes in the same architectural glass and building-integrated solar category, though at vastly greater scale.
• Pilkington (NSG Group): Global architectural and automotive glass manufacturer with solar-control glass products and growing BIPV interest. Broader incumbent that competes with Polysolar in advanced facade glazing.

Emerging players

• Heliatek: German OPV (organic photovoltaic) film manufacturer focused on building facade and BIPV applications. Overlaps with Polysolar's OPV R&D and transparent-film technology direction.
• Solarwindow Technologies: US-listed developer of transparent photovoltaic coatings for commercial glass facades. Comparable emerging-stage BIPV player focused on building envelope integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polysolar-limited
• Xx.com/PolysolarPV
• Facebookfacebook.com/polysolar

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polysolar