The HoriSun hoists a roof of solar panels onto a home in one go

'It's not out of development yet,' says Rick Meijer at Ubbink's booth at BouwBeurs 2025. He helped develop the HoriSun from the beginning. 'Most of the effort went into making the design as simple as possible. And at least it's a solution to a real problem.' Ubbink picked up a nomination for this year's BouwBeurs Awards with the HoriSun.

After the roof tiles are laid on a newly built home, the installer still has to go up on the roof to lay the solar panels. That could be simpler, they thought at Ubbink about a year ago. Rick Meijer, product manager ventilation and Solar was there and over the past year he and several others have developed the HoriSun.

One year of development

'A year ago we got together and wondered what was really needed. Then it turned out that the installer had to go up on the roof last, even after the roof tiles had been put on the house. That has all kinds of consequences. For example, the pins for attaching the solar panels must be in place before the roofer can get to work. He must take this into account. Moreover, the warranty on the roof tiles may even disappear if people still have to go up on the roof.

Series production

The Ubbink team then came up with the idea of the HoriSun, and now the first concept is being shown at BouwBeurs 2025. "We're not done yet!" emphasizes Meijer. 'Although we have come a long way and are ready to run a pilot. But before we can start producing it in series, we still have to work with the profiles. That's not the easiest thing to do, but it will make it affordable.

Hinges for every angle

The HoriSun makes it infinitely easier to finish a newly built house with solar panels. It is a prefabricated ridge with solar panels already integrated into it. The ridge is waterproof and has hinges so that it can be set at any angle. Thus, it fits on any house. The HoriSun is lifted in its entirety onto the house, so no people need to go up onto the roof.

Everything has been thought of. For example, Rick points to the ventilation gaps placed above and below the panels. 'If they weren't there, it would get very hot under the solar panels,' says the ventilation specialist. 'That's why they are very important; now the warm air can get away.'

Prefab builders and batteries

Ubbink is primarily targeting prefab builders with the HoriSun, Meijer continues. 'We certainly want to make it as standard as possible initially.' Prefab builders like that and are most familiar with it. 'There is already interest from various sides, from small and large builders, Meijer points out.

A corresponding battery system developed by Ubbink itself can be purchased directly with the HoriSun. Stackable, so you can expand at will and complete with automatic control. With the latter, you can use the generated power as efficiently as possible. The app is still under development, but the developer present at the booth assures that it will include all the features you would expect from a good management system.