Next2sun, a Germany-based vertical PV pioneer, has been constructing and developing vertical east-west orientation PV systems since 2015.
In contrast to conventional fixed-tilt photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are installed at an angle facing south or north, vertical solar PV systems are installed vertically facing east-west directions. The vertical PV system takes advantage of the bifaciality of a PV module to generate electricity during early morning and late afternoon hours.
A conventional north- or south-facing system generates high energy between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. with a peak at around 12:30 p.m. Given the large influx of solar power during these hours, the market price of electricity is decreasing every year and is even negative in some cases. Vertical PV systems can provide energy during the hours when the demand and price of the electricity are high, and also when the typical south/north facing systems generate low energy.
In a vertical system, the space between the racked rows is 10-12 meters. This leads to greater land usage for installation because it accommodates fewer panels (and thus less energy generation) per unit area compared to a fixed-tilt system.
Both the racking system and land pose major cost challenges for vertical PV. Therefore, it makes economic sense to utilize the land for both agriculture and solar power generation. The vertical PV system, when combined with agriculture, is termed agri-PV.
At Intersolar Europe 2025, Next2Sun presented its vertical system solutions, Fields2Sun and Fence2Sun, which were previously called agri-PV and solar fence, respectively. Its solar fence solution uses modules as a fence in residential and commercial applications.
In both the above solutions, Next2Sun utilizes heterojunction (HJT) modules, given their higher bifaciality (95%) compared to other technologies. The company claims that only 1% of the land is used for constructing the vertical PV system.
In the same week as Intersolar, Next2Sun signed a cooperation agreement with leading HJT manufacturer Huasun Energy for the exclusive use of high-bifaciality HJT modules for vertical systems throughout Europe. In addition, this agreement will enable Next2Sun to market Huasun’s new modules. The company highlights that it also sees potential for vertical PV systems using Huasun’s HJT modules in the Chinese market (see Huasun Energy and Next2Sun Enter Exclusive Partnership for Vertical Bifacial PV in Europe).
According to Next2Sun, its technology solutions have received several awards and recognitions in Europe for vertical mounting of bifacial solar modules. With its solutions, the company claims to have fulfilled a cumulative 40 MWp of projects across 6 countries.
