Invisible Solar Tiles Mimic Roman Terracotta at Pompeii

The Archaeological Park of Pompeii has installed innovative solar panels disguised as traditional Roman terracotta tiles, blending sustainability with heritage preservation. The panels, produced by Italian company Ahlux, can be made to resemble stone, wood, cement, or brick. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the park, stated, 'They look exactly like the terracotta tiles used by the Romans, but they produce the electricity we need to illuminate the frescoes.' The project aims to reduce energy costs for the 3.5 million annual visitors while maintaining the site's aesthetic. So far, the panels have been installed on the House of Ceres, a thermopolium, and the House of the Vettii, which reopened after 20 years of restoration. Ahlux's clients are mainly municipalities and owners of architecturally constrained properties. The MAXXI in Rome and the city of Evora in Portugal are also planning to adopt similar technology. Zuchtriegel emphasized, 'We want to be a real laboratory of sustainability and enhancement of intangible heritage.'