Home » Catnic Solar Seam incorporates solar laminate directly within roofing system
“The solar technology is part of the roofing system, which removes the need for the additional mounts and fixings of a traditional solar array,” explains Brydie Connolly, Catnic’s Market Development Manager.
Demonstrating the product at InstallerSHOW 2026, Brydie says that people have been “really excited” by the innovation. “With the Future Homes Standard mandating solar on all new homes, we really have to change the narrative on solar panels. They’re not just a ‘nice to have’, and so more people are thinking about how they can be incorporated without ruin the aesthetics of the roof. Architects, in particular, have been really interested in this sleek, finished design.”

In terms of specs, the Solar Seam system arrives on site as a complete kit of parts, including nails, sealant and everything needed to make the roof watertight. The panels snap together, so installation doesn’t require any additional skillset. Two contractors can typically fit around 400 square metres in a day, says Brydie. “Then all you need is your electrical contractor to connect all the cables.”
The solar tech itself is powered by CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) which works in ambient light. “This means that instead of seeing a watt peak when the sun is at its highest, we get consistent power throughout the day, starting earlier and finishing later. Over the course of the year the annual output is around the same as a traditional solar array.”
Price-wise, the system does cost more than a standard set-up. However, there are savings elsewhere. “You don’t have to pay for rail mountings, fixings or secondary installations, and they’re self-cleaning, so very low maintenance. Overall, the cost is pretty comparable,” says Brydie.
The system is largely slated for residential builds, with Catnic recently completing a housing development in Llanelli in South Wales. “But we’re getting a lot of interest from Grand Designs-style projects, where they want to make solar as aesthetic as possible,” says Brydie, who adds that as solar becomes the norm, the way it looks – as well as the way it performs – is going to become a much more important selling point.
 
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