FutureVoltaics’ VectHor5 vertical PV system with specular reflectors delivered a 51.4% higher specific yield than a conventional fixed-tilt reference system in a five-month pilot project in Spain. The company says the technology extends daily production hours and improves the economic value of solar generation.
In 2024, Spanish startup FutureVoltaics, a spinoff of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), announced he launch of VectHor, a pre-assembled photovoltaic solution consisting of a vertically mounted, landscape-oriented bifacial solar module combined with specular reflectors made of polished, textured metal featuring a proprietary pattern.
The company has now released initial operational results from the largest pilot plant deployed to date using VectHor technology, which is designed to increase irradiance capture and shift part of solar generation toward periods with higher electricity market value.
Developed in collaboration with the Bilbao-Bizkaia Water Consortium (CABB), the installation began operating on Jan. 30, 2026, on the rooftop of a wastewater treatment facility in Lemoiz, Biscay, northern Spain. The pilot plant comprises 144 VectHor5 units with a total installed capacity of 25.2 kW, as well as four south-facing reference units installed at a fixed 10-degree tilt angle, with a combined capacity of 0.7 kW. The benchmark system is being used to compare the performance of the two configurations under the same operating conditions.
