Dutch solar scale-up RABLE secures funding for its mounting system that enables solar panels to be installed on weak roofs.
RABLE, a solar scale-up based in Delft (Netherlands), has secured €2.5M in funding from SHIFT Invest, Amsterdam's Rubio Impact Ventures, and the Rotterdam Energy Transition Fund, managed by InnovationQuarter.
RABLE develops a self-supporting mounting system that enables solar panels on weak roofs.
In a statement translated from Dutch, Koen Hooning, Associate Partner of SHIFT Invest, says, "Solar energy has become the cheapest source of electricity. The RABLE mounting system significantly expands its applicability. We are proud to collaborate with Rubio and the Rotterdam Energy Transition Fund to make this innovation internationally scalable."
RABLE is one of the last two investments from the SHIFT III fund, with future investments to come from the new SHIFT IV fund, which recently completed €92M in its first closing.
Research by SystemIQ, commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), shows that more than half of commercial roofs in the Netherlands cannot support the weight of solar panels. The issue also occurs across Europe.
Roofs built before 2015 were designed for snow and water loads, but not for the additional load of solar panels. Renovations are often required, costing up to €75 per m², which makes installations financially unviable in many cases.
In the Netherlands, this affects at least 295 km² of roof surface. This is where RABLE looks to make a difference. The Dutch scale-up develops a self-supporting mounting system that enables solar panels to be installed on weak roofs without renovations.
The system creates opportunities for solar energy generation in locations that were previously unused. In the Netherlands, this could add 1.1 TWh annually toward 2030 energy targets, with an additional 16 per cent possible if limited roof areas are also used.
Founded in 2019 in Delft, RABLE has completed more than fifty projects on weak roofs and is extending its system to strong roofs and parking lots.
Investors backed RABLE for its technology, CO2 reduction potential, and business plan, with the funds supporting the company's expansion to France, Belgium, and Sweden.
Erik Valks, CEO of RABLE Group BV, says, "Our technology unlocks enormous solar potential that has remained untapped until now. Thanks to this investment, we can accelerate our expansion to France, Belgium, and Sweden, and then further into Europe. The confidence of our investors makes it possible to structurally accelerate the energy transition."
SHIFT Invest is a Dutch impact venture capital fund that invests in energy transition, green industries, circular economy, food and agriculture, and sustainable mobility and logistics. The fund targets both environmental impact and financial return.
Rubio Impact Ventures is a Dutch impact investment fund with €150M in assets under management. It invests in companies that combine impact with commercial growth and provides capital, expertise, and network access to support their development.
The Rotterdam Energy Transition Fund is a €100M fund of the municipality of Rotterdam for sustainable investments in scale-ups and large companies. The fund, managed by InnovationQuarter, the regional development agency for South Holland, aims to reduce CO2 emissions, lower resource consumption, and improve air quality.