Israeli lightweight module manufacturer Apollo Power has celebrated a certification first for its new generation of flexible, lightweight solar modules – Panda Plus. The module has secured Class A fire certification from a certified laboratory, an achievement that company CEO Oded Rozenberg said had previously only been achieved by rigid glass modules.
“To the best of our knowledge, nobody has ever made a flexible solar panel that can achieve a Class A fire resistance rating,” Rozenberg told pv magazine. “This is the first time flexible and lightweight solar has achieved this.”
Rozenberg framed the rating as the standout feature of Panda Plus, ahead of a power bump to 320 W across a 2 m² module, which he described as the most durable version the company has produced. The fire performance was achieved through improved materials and a new manufacturing patent that Apollo Power would not disclose, noting only that matching polymer-based modules to the same test regime used for glass panels – including 1,000 hours of damp-heat cycling, accelerated weathering and hail testing – had been very demanding.
Launched in June 2026, Panda+ comes in three formats on the same fully flexible 72-cell (6×12) platform: a white and a black frameless module for adhesive installation, and a framed version for standard racking. The frameless module (AG1206FL) is rated at 320 W ±5%, weighs 6.8 kg ±3% and measures 2,020 × 1,005 × 2.3 mm, with its junction box mounted on the front. The framed module (AG1206F) trades some of that weight saving for rack compatibility: it’s rated at 310 W ±5%, weighs 9.5 kg ±5% in a 23 mm black-anodized aluminum frame, with dimensions of 2,026 × 1,010 × 23 mm and the junction box moved to the back. Electrically the framed and frameless are close: both use MC4-EVO2 connectors, a 1,000 VDC maximum system voltage and near-identical temperature coefficients (Pmax: -0.363%/°C).
The framed option is a response to customer demand rather than a technical showcase, according to Apollo Power, with some customers requesting a more easily replaceable option that would allow panels to be moved or replaced without disturbing adhesive. Rozenberg did acknowledge the trade-off between a framed, rack-mounted Panda Plus which gives up some of the weight advantage that is a key selling point for the product line, although he said it still remains lighter than a comparable glass panel with mounting hardware.
Apollo is also working with an unnamed US roofing company on an integrated solar-roofing product that is planned for launched around the RE+ trade show later this year. Rozenberg wouldn’t reveal full details of the launch, but he did tell pv magazine he sees the product type as having great potential for the US market. Those attending the exhibition in Las Vegas in November can expect to see some kind of roof integrated product, and Rozenberg said certifications have already been secured for the module involved.
Residential and commercial rooftops with weight or design constraints are the key market for Apollo, representing most of the company’s sales, however the manufacturer does serve other segments such as the automotive and portable applications markets. These include solar charging systems for trucks and buses, and portable units for defence applications and disaster relief , including drone and battery charging. Apollo has an exclusive European distribution agreement with automotive supplier ZF covering solar systems for buses and trucks, and supplies rollable solar fabric to integrate in Lippert’s awning portfolio, which the company describes as the leading player in the US recreational-vehicle market.
A focus on transport electrification in the United States has also seen Apollo Power launch a lightweight rooftop solar module and charger kit for trucks and buses. Each solar kit distributed as part of the deal will include ApolloMotive flexible panels, PV cables and MPPT charge controller.
The company also announced earlier this year a definitive agreement with ARKO Corp and is in the process of deploying its flexible solar energy solutions to more than 300 ARKO’s US gas stations under a strategic partnership.
Apollo manufactures all of its panels at its Israel facility, which the company put at roughly 200 MW of capacity, while sourcing some raw materials internationally. Distribution runs through tier-one partners such as Lippert and ZF alongside direct sales to large end users – Rozenberg cited Amazon’s European logistics centers as an example of a customer large enough to buy from Apollo directly rather than through a distributor.
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