EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There is little doubt that an energy transition towards renewable energy sources is inevitable. Photovoltaic systems will most certainly play a major significant role in this transition. Our team's vision is to bring solar power to the next level of sustainability by fostering a circular economy. More specifically, we strive to create smart, sustainable, and enjoyable public spaces with the help of upcycled solar panels.

Problem and Solution

We found that mMany solar panels that are being discarded and subsequently recycled actually still work. Naturally, manufacturing solar panels also produces CO2 and disassembling those panels right after the warranty lifespan significantly reduces their positive impact. At the same time, we experienced that our electrical devices run out of battery when we most need them, and it is almost impossible to charge them in public spaces.

This is where RESOLARIZE jumps in. In cooperation with artists, we build sustainable and aesthetically pleasing electricity stations from upcycled solar panels that allow you to charge your devices en route. This means that we metaphorically kill three birds with one stone: providing access to electricity in public areas, giving solar panels a second life and bringing modern art and design to the public.

Business Model

We collect panels that would otherwise be disposed of and manufacture the Resolarize Solar Tower, which charges devices using the purest power of sunshine. We will distribute the towers using a rental model with a monthly fee of 600 euros, including servicing and maintenance, so that customers will have nothing to worry about.

Our rental model truly sets us apart from competitors as it does not require high initial investments. What makes the Solar Tower stand out are is also its high-quality materials such as stainless steel and aluminum, making it resistant to all weather conditions. Not only do we use renewable energy for our electricity stations, but we alsowe use old solar panels to prolong their lifespan. Another unique feature of the Solar Tower is that it is designed in cooperation with artists, making it an absolute eye-catcher.

We areOur teams is currently in talks with the University of Applied Arts in Vienna but have already secured a partnership with Lightwave ZERØ, an Austrian based Visual Arts Artist that worked with the Vienna Museum of Science and Technology and specializes in design installations for exhibitions as well as 3D animations..

Target Group

We areRESOLARIZE mainly targetsing the public sector, namely cities and educational institutions. Our goal is to cooperate with the city of Vienna, a city that is widely known for its high quality of life, being a destination for numerous tourists from all over the world. This is why we expect a strong pull effect from other cities. The further expansion is mainly aimed at university cities in the germanophone region because of their density of potential users and low market entry barriers.

In order to get our project off the ground and let our vision of renewable and sustainable energy sources become reality, an initial funding of 265 thousand euros is needed. Prototype

We built a prototype with a 25-year-old solar panel that was kindly provided to us. Strikingly, the panel still has an efficiency factor of 70% and can reach about 210 Watts peak. Around 120 smartphones can be charged with the battery. Our MVP is made of an upcycled panel, a charge controller, a battery and an inverter to achieve the necessary voltage of 230 Volt, where you can charge phones, laptops and even e-scooters.

Financials

In our base case, we plan to produce and sell around 300 of our towers over a period of 3 years. This corresponds to an initial sales volume of 4 units per month with a monthly growth rate of 4%, resulting in a gross profit of 286k in the last quarter of the observation period. Resolarize will be able to generate a positive cash flow already by the end of the second quarter in the second year. In order to ensure sustainable liquidity, an initial funding of 265 thousand euros is needed.

As you can see, we will start our funding round by the end of this year’s third quarter. In the second year we will not only be cash positive, but we can also celebrate that 100 solar towers are in use.

This is our team, characterized by a wide range of educational and scientific backgrounds including Mechanical Engineering, Bioresource Management and Business.

This allows for multiperspectivity and equips us with a variety of tools needed to tackle interdisciplinary and demanding innovation projects

Cooperation Partner

• Xaver Hopfgartner
  x.hopfgartner@gmail.com
  @lightwavezero

Contact Persons

• Livia Morscher
  livia.morscher@sol.at

• David Kames
  david.kames@tuwien.ac.at

Student team

• Livia Morscher

• Lukas Grolmusz

• Student 1David Kames

• Nikolaus Hauer​

• Martin Reindl

• Mykhailo Sokolov

Project-Manager

• Alexander Staub

• Thomas Pannermayr

• Michael Filzmoser

• Michael Ambros