BIPV windows viable only if they add soft value to buildings
Solar windows are only likely to reach commercial maturity when manufacturers consider how they can add “soft” value to buildings, as required by the construction industry. In order to increase this value, increasing their conversion efficiency will become less important, while understanding how to blend them into the existing value chain in the real estate business will be crucial.
New solar window tech from Australian startup
Australia’s ClearVue wants to push ahead with the development of its transparent solar glass technology. Construction is now beginning on a commercial-scale trial project.
Perovskite-based solar window tech from NREL
NREL’s new solar window darkens in the heat of the sun, producing electricity via embedded perovskite film. The tech is based on formamidinium-based metal halide perovskite, an inherently thermochromic material exhibiting significant optical changes.
The steeplechase of transparent PV
A South Korean research team has claimed that transparent PV technologies need to improve in terms of efficiency, stability and aesthetics before they can reach commercial maturity.
Rooftop solar window based on semi-transparent perovskite solar cells
A prototype of an energy-harvesting, solar-powered smart window device has been developed by scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. The window was created by integrating a semi-transparent perovskite solar cell and a multi-layer nanophotonic coating.
Australian researchers take solar windows to the next level
The building-integrated PV devices have taken a big leap forward on the back of a partnership between Australian scientists and a major glass manufacturer which will investigate the use of semi-transparent solar cells in commercial applications, potentially revolutionizing building design.
ClearVue’s luminescent solar concentrators create clear PV windows
The lure of building integrated photovoltaics continues to attract entrepreneurs and startups.
Can a transparent solar window harvest enough power to be economical?
Can an organic solar cell material finally be commercialized? Last year, Ubiquitous Energy claimed a world record for efficiency of a “transparent solar cell” with a “certified” 9.8% efficiency.
