Solar window: characteristics and benefits
Caring for our planet is becoming quite a challenge for society, where the main goal is to reduce polluting gases. As the need for renewable energy sources increases worldwide, it is necessary to create new solutions that allow for that growth.
Although solar panels are a great success, there are always many options to improve existing technology. And here is where photovoltaic windows or also known as solar windows come in.
We have to keep in mind that not everyone can use solar panels at home. So, finding creative ways to counteract this problem can lead to some remarkable and necessary advances.
What are solar windows?
They are a type of window that generates energy from solar rays. With different technologies, a window can be turned into a “transparent photovoltaic panel”, without losing the functionality it has always had.
Although there are already different techniques to achieve a transparent photovoltaic glass that generates energy; through liquid coatings, nanotechnology, and other advanced techniques achieving translucent windows that generate energy.
Initially, we talked a long time ago about the first fully transparent solar panels, where they had developed a transparent material capable of generating electricity through infrared and ultraviolet waves.
But, the “boom” of the solar window began through the article published in the Nature magazine with translucent solar crystals.
currently, We can obtain MORE THAN 40% of electricity through solar windows
Where to buy photovoltaic solar windows
But… Can I buy a photovoltaic window today? The answer is YES. Although there is still a way to go for this type of solar films, less transparent glass than a normal window (70% transparency) is already being sold worldwide, but with a more than acceptable capacity to generate electricity.
In cost and price, according to information we have reviewed, it increases between 18 to 20% in building carpentry. Considering that we are talking about occupying a large part of the facade – building envelope with semi-transparent solar panels.
You can consult the following current manufacturers if you want more information:
- The company Clearvuepy where you can consult information from HERE.
- The Spanish company Onyx Solar that you can consult on their official website from HERE.
- The company Solar Window that you can consult on their official website from HERE.
- The company Ertex Solar that you can consult on their official website from HERE.
And, What is the price of transparent solar panels? Well, according to a phone consultation with a Spanish company; The most transparent medium-quality glass (Solar film), of almost one square meter, is around 116 Euros (Double glass), and with the best quality, it can reach 180 Euros with triple glass (Installation would have to be added, + VAT).
From a street consumer perspective, it may still not be very profitable or viable to use a transparent solar module for a home, but if we talk about hotels, institutions, industrial buildings, or office buildings, here the return and energy savings can be very important.
What options can I currently buy
What type of options do I have if I want to use transparent solar panels in a project? Photovoltaic glass is being used for; facades, curtain walls, roofs, skylights, pergolas, railings, etc. In short, we have carpentry adapted to all types of openings.
We want to provide a real idea from a Spanish manufacturer about what we could buy if we want to apply transparent solar glass panels in a project:
In the following video, we can delve more into the technical characteristics of solar windows from this Spanish manufacturer…
From a real and already finished construction, they have used solar films for windows in the building. For example, we have to move to the Canary Institute of Advanced Studies (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
It has a system of amorphous silicon photovoltaic glass slats integrated vertically into the facade. It is a triple laminated glass of almost 3 meters long and half a meter wide, which has a medium degree of transparency and has been combined with inactive glass, to give the building a unique aesthetic.
A successful aesthetic that demonstrates that elegant design is not at odds with taking advantage of the building envelope to produce electricity thanks to transparent photovoltaic solar energy in the form of solar glass if used in carpentry.
What advantages do photovoltaic windows offer?
The solar window can be an innovation that promises for the future of the energy sector as there are several benefits that they could bring us in daily life.
Advantages and characteristics of solar windows:
- They allow light to pass through and no extra space is needed: as is the case with solar panels.
- Availability of sizes and shapes: They have a wide range of sizes, even in special measurements or shapes and can vary in colors or transparencies according to project needs.
- Easy placement and installation: they can be installed in various places: window, facades, car windows, mobile screens, tablets… They adapt to any type of exterior carpentry, and even for interior.
- They contain filters: reducing the entry of heat into homes or buildings. This allows us to have better insulation and efficiency, saving, for example, on air conditioning in summer or heating consumption.
- Electricity savings: solar films can reduce the need for external electricity sources by up to half.
What disadvantages do photovoltaic windows have?
Not everything is beneficial, we also have disadvantages and it is worth noting:
- Purchase price. The acquisition price is high compared to standard models.
- More complex installation. Since they have electronic components, the installation is more overwhelming and requires electrical wiring.
- Maintenance. It is higher than conventional installations and in case of problems, a specialized company is needed.
- Technology to be developed. It is a typical problem of all innovation, although progress is being made rapidly, they still need advances for full development.
But that’s not all, great advances are happening in innovation…
Applications in building design
The windows with solar cells are being used in a variety of construction projects, from skyscrapers to buildings, and even in private homes. They are especially useful in places with high solar exposure, allowing the sun’s energy to be harnessed more efficiently.
Architects are also integrating these windows into their designs to improve energy performance and reduce CO2 emissions. The technology of transparent solar panels is constantly evolving, which means that the buildings of the future could become completely self-sufficient in terms of energy.
Innovations that will improve solar windows
Every year significant technical advances are made and from this section, we want to show some points to highlight that will improve the functionalities of the solar window.
1.- Liquid coating for any surface
In this case, the American company “New Energy Technologies” is responsible for the creation of a type of liquid coating that could be applied to any transparent surface.
A coating capable of absorbing light and through conductors, which connect to the window frame, energy extraction is done, either to a battery or directly to a device that consumes energy or supplies it.
can generate energy not only through the sun, but also in shadow conditions
The most interesting thing about this coating is that it can generate energy not only through the sun but also in shadow conditions thanks to artificial light, allowing it to be used in almost any type of home or building.
On the other hand, Chinese scientists from the South China University of Technology, led by science and engineering professor Hin-Lap Yip, have been able to develop a new type of material that can block the sun and produce energy.
This material, very similar to the pigment used in newspaper prints or to darken windows, manages to block the sun and produce energy. “Being able to reduce the electricity bill by more than 50%”.
2.- Smart solar windows
Smart windows work like blinds or curtains. Depending on the time of day, they regulate the amount of light or heat that passes through the window of homes or buildings.
In addition, they offer different ways of use, such as summer, nap, or winter mode. They regulate the entry of light like fixed awnings and heat. This type of window is composed of a final layer of nanocrystals that change depending on the electricity that passes through them, allowing efficient regulation not only of light but also of temperature according to the location of the same window.
Work is underway to ensure that future buildings with large glass facades become true energy producers to save electricity.
This could be possible through the use of special glass that will allow windows not only to control external light but also to function as a photovoltaic panel.
3.- Organic solar cells
This new alternative to silicon led by researcher Olle Inganäs from Linköping University in Sweden opens a path within an industry dominated, until now, by silicon.
Although this type of cell cannot yet compete in terms of efficiency with silicon ones, the truth is that this method is advancing to enter the market.
The organic solar cells offer several benefits, among them, we can highlight their low cost in relation to materials and simplicity concerning manufacturing methods: simple and fast.
4.- Hybrid solar panels
For a few years now, there has also been a type of panel that combines photovoltaic solar energy with thermal energy, also called hybrid solar panels.
Although it seems obvious and should have been launched on the market almost at the same time as its two separate functions, we had to wait more than 20 years for someone to dream of it, design it, and make it a reality.
Now, these panels are available, and there are even many installations already in operation. These panels are known as hybrid solar panels and offer numerous benefits:
- Installation of a single panel with which you can use appliances and obtain the necessary hot water.
- The installation surface is smaller compared to thermal and photovoltaic installations.
- They generate electricity and heat at the same time.
- Their purchase and installation have a lower cost, considering that to obtain the same benefits of a photovoltaic and thermal system, it is enough to acquire a single solar panel.
- They have a low maintenance cost since the technology of the hybrid solar panel is as simple as in a traditional solar collector.
- They have a high degree of innovation, offering great versatility to those homes that decide to install this system.
- They significantly reduce environmental impact.
- Possibility of using this system to heat the water of the pool as a solution for many homes, where we seek to heat the water of the pools when temperatures are still low and a little more temperature is required.
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