Sweden’s solar-tech industry has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem, far beyond the conventional rooftop panels. The country hosts manufacturers leading the way in everything from flexible, ultra-thin solar cells powering indoor IoT devices to building-integrated photovoltaics that displace traditional roofing materials. Swedish solar manufacturing is unique in that it targets niche applications and integrated solutions rather than competing with Asian giants on commodity panel production.
The sector is divided into four different segments: thin-film flexible cells for consumer electronics (Midsummer, Exeger and Epishine); mounting and tracking systems for optimization of performance under Nordic conditions (Benders and Vaja); power electronics and integrated home energy management (Aira); and project development for commercial-scale solar (Alight). The following five companies are the strongest players in these categories.
Top 5 Solar Technology Manufacturers in Sweden
- Midsummer
- Exeger
- Epishine
- Aira Group
- Benders
A Closer Look at the Top 5 Solar Technology Manufacturers
1. Midsummer
Midsummer, based in Järfälla, Sweden, is a manufacturer of thin film solar panels and holds a unique position in the global solar market. The company develops, manufactures and sells solar cells based on CIGS technology (copper, indium, gallium and selenide) and panels that are very thin, light, flexible and discreet and have a small carbon footprint compared to traditional silicon-based solar panels. Unlike most manufacturers who focus solely on panel production, Midsummer also develops and sells DUO production equipment—the most widespread manufacturing tool for flexible CIGS solar cells in the world.
Key Points
- Core products: thin-film CIGS solar panels; DUO equipment for solar cell production; complete solar roof systems (direct to end consumers).
- Target Markets Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), construction, roofing and solar cell installation industries; also supplies production machinery to strategic partners worldwide.
- Unique Advantage: Panels can be integrated with many types of roofing and have a much lower environmental impact than traditional silicon panels.
- Global Reach: Saab’s offset commitment is to provide production equipment for a 100-200 MW plant in Colombia and to create a production hub for the Latin American market.
Achievements
- Nasdaq First North Growth Market (ticker: MIDS).
- Market capitalization approx. SEK 0.34 billion.
- Named “Challenger” in the building-integrated photovoltaics market with Tesla, Wienerberger and Heliatek.
- DUO systems are the most common manufacturing tool used worldwide for the deployment of flexible CIGS solar cells.
Feedback
Midsummer has a unique position, being both a panel manufacturer and a supplier of capital equipment to other solar manufacturers. The company’s dual revenue stream of selling finished panels and the machines that make them provides diversification while its CIGS technology provides efficiency and flexibility advantages over traditional silicon. Due to its international expansion into Latin America, Midsummer is a global player and not a domestic-focused manufacturer.
Contact Information
Website: https://www.midsummer.se
2. Exeger
Exeger, based in Stockholm, has developed Powerfoyle, a flexible, customizable solar cell technology that generates electrical power from indoor and outdoor light. The technology is an evolution of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and is said to have 1,000 times better conductivity than conventional indoor solar cells. The strategic importance of this innovation was underlined in December 2025 when the Swedish Energy Agency invested SEK 130 million ($13.8 million) in Exeger’s next-generation indoor solar cell technology.
Key Points
- Core Product: Powerfoyle – flexible, customizable solar cells that can be integrated into consumer products and scavenge energy from ambient light.
- Target Applications: Self-powered consumer electronics, smart home devices, headphones, keyboards, remote controls and IoT sensors.
- Unique Advantage: The cells can be customized in shape, color and pattern, enabling them to be seamlessly integrated into product design with no aesthetic compromise.
- Manufacturing: Headquartered in Stockholm and scalable manufacturing processes.
Achievements
- Total funding of $194.06 million received, including a recent SEK 130 million grant from the Swedish Energy Agency.
- Named “Leader” for thin-film solar cell technology, with First Solar and Epishine.
- Investors are the European Investment Bank, the Swedish Energy Agency and Svensk Exportkredit.
- Powerfoyle cells enable devices that are battery-free or have extended battery life, targeting the growing market for sustainable electronics.
Feedback
Exeger is recognized as a global leader in indoor energy harvesting. The company’s strategy of not competing with consumer brands but instead licensing or selling cells to product manufacturers has allowed it to penetrate the market quickly. The technology is particularly useful for IoT devices, where battery replacement is costly or impractical. The recent government investment validates the technology’s strategic importance for Sweden’s clean tech ecosystem.
Contact Information
Website: https://www.exeger.com
3. Epishine
Epishine is a Swedish company based in Linköping that manufactures organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells for indoor light harvesting. Epishine’s technology harvests energy from ambient indoor light sources such as LEDs and fluorescents to power connected devices, rather than the direct sunlight for which traditional solar cells were designed. The company completed its factory in 2023 and is now entering a critical expansion phase, ramping up its industrial roll-to-roll production capacity to meet increasing demand globally.
Key Points
- Core Product: Indoor thin & Flexible OPV Modules for Self-Powered Electronics
- Target applications include remote controls, asset trackers, remote sensors, retail display devices and other IoT applications.
- Manufacturing Technology: Industrial roll-to-roll (R2R) production line, scalable and low cost.
- Unique Advantage: Designed for indoors, optimized for LED and fluorescent spectra.
Achievements
- Direct funding of SEK 33.7 million ($3.46 million) from the Swedish Energy Agency to accelerate roll-to-roll production capacity.
- The SEA award is part of a larger SEK 240 million initiative that is supporting nine domestic sustainable energy companies.
- CEO Anders Kottenaur said the expansion was “both urgent and essential” as the indoor solar market heats up around the world.
- marketed as “a world leader in high-performance indoor solar cells.”
Feedback
“Epishine is solving a big problem in the IoT market—how to power the billions of devices that will be connected up without using disposable batteries.” One major differentiator for the company is that it’s optimizing for indoors rather than adapting outdoor solar technology. Customers care about reducing battery waste and lowering the total cost of ownership for device fleets. The roll-to-roll manufacturing process allows for cost-effective scale, which is important to compete with conventional batteries on price.
Contact Information
Website: https://www.epishine.com/
4. Aira Group
In November 2025, Swedish clean energy company Aira Group completed its vertically integrated home energy ecosystem with the launch of the Aira Power Hub series of solar inverters. The Power Hub complements Aira’s existing product portfolio, including heat pumps and battery storage systems, to create a complete home energy management platform. This approach mirrors the company’s success with heat pumps, where it designs and makes its own components, maintaining complete control over software, sensors and systems integration.
Key Points
- Core Product: Aira Power Hub solar inverters (single-phase 7 kW and three-phase 15 kW models) are based on transformerless design.
- Technical Specifications Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Technology Voltage Range: 100V – 720V Max Current: 14A DC to AC conversion efficiency: 98% IP-65 rated (dust-tight and water-resistant) Operating Range: -20°C to 60°C.
- Integrated Ecosystem: Operates as a part of Aira’s battery storage systems, AI-powered energy management platform; also integrates with the company’s heat pumps.
- Warranty: 10-year product warranty.
Achievements
- First products expected to launch in the UK and Italy in January 2026 First products are expected to launch in the UK and Italy in January 2026, followed by Germany.
- This vertical integration approach gives Aira full ownership of hardware, sensors, firmware and user experience.
- CEO Peter Prem stated the expansion provides “tools to produce, store and manage clean energy efficiently at home.”
Feedback
Aira’s practice of designing and manufacturing its own proprietary inverters—rather than outsourcing production to third-party manufacturers—is rare for the residential solar industry but similar to Tesla’s. “The reasoning is simple,” said chief product officer Kaj af Kleen. “If you want to do something well, you need to have access to all the controls, all the sensors and firmware,” he said. Aira provides outstanding integration for homeowners looking for a one-stop shop for heat pumps, batteries, solar and inverters. But field reliability data is yet to come as a new product category for the company.
Contact Information
Website: https://www.airahome.com/
5. Benders
Benders is a Swedish manufacturer of concrete roof tiles and, critically for solar integration, the Bender Sunlight mounting system, which the company claims is “the market’s smartest system for mounting solar panels.” Unlike universal mounting solutions that require drilling through roofing materials, Bender Sunlight integrates with Benders’ concrete roof tiles, maintaining the roof’s watertight integrity and preserving the roof guarantee for up to 30 years uniquely.
Key Points
- Core Product: Bender Sunlight integrated solar panel mounting system with specially manufactured and reinforced mounting tiles.
- Installation Benefits: Locks between 2 rows of roof battens No damage to subroof No gaps between tiles No sawing required No tools are needed to install a watertight seal. Panels can be installed with a screwdriver only.
- Compatibility: Panel clamps are compatible with all market solar panels with a frame thickness of 30–40 mm, offering flexibility in the choice of panels.
- Market Position: Benders’ concrete roof tiles are laid on “six out of every ten houses in Sweden,” the most laid roof tiles in the country.
Achievements
- Bender Sunlight is the only solar cell system on the market that keeps the roof guarantee—up to 30 years if installed correctly.
- Made in Sweden from modern composites.
- The new tile is ready to go and replaces a normal double pantile.
Feedback
Roof guarantee protection is a significant differentiator for both homeowners and contractors. Many solar installations void roof warranties because of penetrations or modifications; Bender Sunlight removes this risk. This installation process requires no tools and is watertight, reducing potential errors and labor costs. The system only uses Benders roof tiles, which limits the system to their tiles, but this is not a huge limitation for most domestic installations, as Benders holds 60% of the Swedish market.
Contact Information
Website: https://www.benders.se
FAQ
What types of solar technology does Sweden manufacture?
Swedish solar manufacturers are specialized in thin-film flexible cells (Midsummer’s CIGS, Exeger’s Powerfoyle and Epishine’s OPV), mounting and tracking systems (Benders’ integrated roof mounts and Vaja’s wind-responsive trackers), power electronics (Aira’s inverters) and project development (Alight’s commercial solar). Not Oriental manufacturers focused on commodity silicon panels; Swedish companies focus on specialized, high-value applications.
What is the difference between Midsummer, Exeger and Epishine?
All three manufacture thin-film solar cells, but with different target applications:
- Midsummer: CIGS Technology for Building-Integrated PV and Outdoor Applications.
- Exeger: Dye-sensitized cells (Powerfoyle) for consumer electronics and self-powered devices.
- Epishine: Organic photovoltaics (OPV) specifically optimized for indoor light harvesting.
What makes Bender Sunlight unique?
The only mounting system that keeps the roof guarantee (up to 30 years) for the installation of the solar panels is Bender Sunlight. The system connects directly to Benders’ concrete roof tiles—the most installed roof tile in Sweden, used on 60% of homes—to ensure watertight integrity without drilling or subroof damage.
What is Aira’s solar inverter product?
The Aira Power Hub series was launched in Nov 2025 and includes single-phase 7 kW and three-phase 15 kW models. They offer 98% efficiency, MPPT technology and an IP-65 rating. The inverters combine with Aira’s battery storage and heat pumps to form a full vertically integrated home energy system. First deployment in the UK and Italy (January 2026), then Germany.
Are there Swedish companies developing solar tracking technology?
Yes. Vaja AB has filed a number of patents for solar tracking systems that respond to wind (applications 2025-2026). The systems use a combination of active motor-driven tracking and passive wind-responsive movement to automatically feather (reduce angle) panels during high winds to prevent damage. This technology is designed to be low cost by using motor current sensing rather than separate wind sensors.
Which Swedish companies focus on indoor solar cells?
Epishine and Exeger both focus on indoor energy harvesting:
- Epishine: Organic PV cells for IoT devices, remote controls, sensors and retail displays The Swedish Energy Agency has granted us SEK 33.7 million to expand our production.
- Exeger: Powerfoyle technology for consumer electronics, headphones and keyboards. Received SEK 130 million from the Swedish Energy Agency in December 2025.
What is Alight and what do they do?
Alight, formerly known as Eneo Solutions, builds, owns and operates solar projects for businesses under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) at fixed rates. Rather than making panels, Alight develops solar assets and sells the power to energy-hungry companies under long-term contracts. Founded in 2013, the company raised 61.54 million and had a majority stake acquired by DIF Capital Partners for 150.68 million in November 2022.
How do I choose the right Swedish solar manufacturer for my needs?
Selection depends on application:
- Benders roof tile homeowners Bender Sunlight mounting system keeps roof guarantee.
- For homeowners looking for an integrated energy system: Aira’s inverter, battery and heat pump ecosystem.
- Consumer electronics makers: Exeger’s Powerfoyle cells, customized for self-powered devices.
- IoT device makers: Epishine OPV cells for sensors and remotes optimized for indoors
- Commercial/utility solar developers: Midsummer’s CIGS panels or manufacturing equipment.
