Solar privacy strips for double picket fences: this is what the Graz-based start-up Sunbooster is working on. With the support of the European Space Agency's Business Incubation Center in Austria, the solar cells once developed for space are being used for terrestrial applications. Sunbooster solar cells are also being tested on satellites.
The Graz-based start-up Sunbooster, led by serial founder Stefan Ponsold, successfully launched its innovative solar privacy strips for double wire mesh fences in February 2025. Based on technology originally developed for space applications, these flexible solar strips are now available to homeowners - bringing sustainable energy generation and privacy together in one smart solution.
“The strips with solar cells can be threaded between the grids of the fence - and therefore not only provide privacy, but also generate electricity on both sides of the fence at the same time,” explains Ponsold. Thanks to the integrated inverter, the energy generated can be fed into the household grid. Designed for the standard width of 2.5 meters per fence panel, the solar privacy screen generates peak outputs of up to 480 watts. “Our product is in no way inferior to balcony power plants,” says the Managing Director. In addition: “Especially when the fences are aligned east-west, both the morning and evening sun are optimally captured, thus improving the even generation of electricity throughout the day,” says the founder. After 18 months of development, Sunbooster presented the product at the Intersolar trade fair in Munich in June - and received a lot of praise. In the meantime, Ponsold and his team have submitted the solar privacy screen for patenting. While development and design take place in Graz, mass production is to be carried out by a cooperation partner in China.
Solar cells for satellites
At the same time, the company is working on small, robust solar cells for use in low-Earth orbit. The modules produce 1.45 watts - enough to reliably supply a satellite's sensors with energy. The first test launch into space is planned for the end of 2025: “The Sunbooster solar cells will then be launched into orbit from the ESA launchpad in southern Sweden. “We want to establish a new foothold here,” says Ponsold, setting out the route. The project is supported by “ESA Spark Funding Austria” program from the ESA Incubation Center (BIC) in Austria: around two thirds of the funding volume of 55,000 euros is provided by the space agency, while the remaining share must be raised through equity or borrowed capital. “This funding enables us to grow faster and achieve technological breakthroughs that would be difficult to achieve without financial support,” says Ponsold, underlining the added value.
About ESA Spark Funding Austria
ESA Spark Funding Austria is a funding program implementedin collaboration with ESA and the Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency (FFG/ALR). Austrian companies received zero-equity funding of € 55,000.00 to integrate space technology or space assets/services into existing product lines or create entirely new products/services. Science Park Graz implemented the first call between 2021-2023, and the second one between 2023-2025.