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Janet Richardson

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Updated on

Dec 02, 2024

Read Time : 6 Minutes

Windows with Solar Panels Built-In

Solar windows are essentially glass with solar panels built into them, primarily produced by Polysolar UK. This new form of solar panel has provided us with a new and exciting form of solar energy generated through glass that is practically clear. Solar windows look and work in the same way as conventional windows but feature photovoltaic glazing, which converts sunlight into renewable electricity. They are a form of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). BIPV technology is integrated within the building rather than installed onto the building. This means homeowners can generate renewable energy without installing solar panels.

Solar windows can be used for a range of buildings, particularly homes and offices, though its use has been limited so far, mostly used for commercial buildings. A Netherlands-based company called Physee is installing 15,000 ‘SmartWindows’ in office buildings throughout Europe. These windows not only incorporate solar power cells but also have sensors that manage building energy use. Currently, there’s a lot of research and development going into this new form of solar energy, and the purpose of this page is to take you through some of the essential facts. With a range of applications and constant advancements, this could be the next big thing, not just for solar energy, but for renewable energy.

How Solar Windows Work

Solar glass windows work in a similar way to solar panels but have the added benefit of allowing light to pass through them to the space beyond. The photovoltaic glazing acts like the silicon wafers on conventional solar panels, generating electricity from sunlight. During daylight hours light passing through the windows can provide a home with free renewable electricity, with any excess being sent to the National Grid or stored in a battery for later use. Along with solar roof tiles and roof-integrated panels, they are a form of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), which is integrated into the building rather than installed on it.

The solar window manufacturer, Polysolar typically uses thin film photovoltaic (PV) technology when it comes to the manufacture of their solar glass. This is known as Building Integrated Photovoltaic solar glass. The material that is used to make the thin film cells is ideal for BIPV solutions as it enables them to produce cells for solar PV panels that are entirely transparent or opaque. Therefore, they are perfect for a range of applications, including:

  • Facades
  • Canopies
  • Skylights
  • Curtain walls

Solar Window Manufacturers

Polysolar UK
Polysolar understands the importance of aesthetics and natural light. they've developed glass windows that can be designed to suit any number of building types, from domestic to commercial. Examples of this are solar glass panels for market stalls and solar car park canopies. Their glass features a thin photovoltaic film that's entirely transparent and allows natural light to make its way through while also being able to generate electricity.

Onyx Solar
Onyx Solar is a world-leading manufacturer of solar glass suitable for installation in facades, curtain walls, atriums, canopies, and terrace floors. Their solar glass delivers the same level of thermal and sound insulation as traditional glass windows but with the additional advantage of being able to generate electricity. A choice of aesthetics is another great benefit of Onyx Solar products, as the shape, colour, size, thickness, and transparency level can all be designed to suit your property.

Physee
Physee is a Netherlands-based company that installs "SmartWindows" in office buildings.

Viridian Solar 
Viridian Solar is a company that offers roof windows with solar panels.

The Advantages of Solar Windows

As previously mentioned, the thin film technology that is used in solar windows has been specifically designed for BIPV applications. As a result, it offers advantages in terms of performance in the following ways:

Lowers installation costs compared to solar panels
It’s far easier to replace windows than to have solar panels installed on your roof. By choosing solar glass windows, you will be saving time and potentially lots of money on the installation costs. It's unlikely though, that solar windows will be able to cover as much area as a solar panel system. The initial cost of installation of solar windows is actually very similar to that of conventional building materials. However, their additional multi-functionality does make them an economically superior choice. 

Generates income via the Smart Export Guarantee
Homeowners who generate renewable electricity can earn payments as part of the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Energy suppliers with more than 150,000 customers are legally obliged to pay customers who are generating electricity using renewable energy. You can generate an income by selling any excess electricity that you can’t use or store. 

Reduces energy costs
Solar windows can reduce energy costs by up to 30%. 

Creates renewable energy 
Solar windows help home or business owners generate their own electricity. 

Reduces carbon
Solar windows can reduce operational carbon by up to 100% or more. 

Increases property value
Solar windows can increase the value of your property.

Performs well at poor angles
Thin film solar cells can run at a high level of efficiency, even when they are not placed at an optimal angle for the absorption of direct sunlight. As a result, there is greater potential for installation, including placing them vertically on buildings without compromising the overall efficiency.

Efficiency in low lighting
Thin film solar cells are also able to operate in as little as 10% sunlight. This extends the number of hours in which electricity can be produced over the course of a year, resulting in a more consistent energy yield. Additionally, thin film alignment will cause panels to be less affected by shading.

Strong panels
These panels are also incredibly tough and rigid, with laminated glass that works to increase the overall functionality of the panels. In addition to this, it also increases their potential for installation applications.

Superior heat tolerance
These panels are less affected by high temperatures. As a result, they will not require any ventilation to perform at optimal levels. Additionally, thin film tends to work at a higher level of efficiency over a greater temperature range. This means that they will receive the maximum potential for energy production. 

Aids the reduction of indoor temperatures
Properties can get very hot during the summer as heat is caused by sunlight making its way through windows. Solar windows can reduce this heat. 

Blocks ultraviolet radiation
Furniture can be damaged by UV rays. Solar windows can stop as much ultraviolet radiation from coming into the property helping your furniture look nicer for longer.

Increases privacy
Because solar windows have a tint, it makes it more difficult to see through them into the property. However, you can still see as clearly as ever when looking out of the window from the inside.

Reduces glare 
Glare will be far less of a problem with solar windows. It can be particularly annoying if the glare is on your TV. Solar windows can provide maximum daylighting and a higher vision-to-wall ratio. 

Solution for conservation area
Solar glass windows could be a solution for homes in a conservation area where installing solar panels on the roof might be restricted.  

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Types of Solar Glass

  • PV ink or film is sprayed onto the glass surface. This can be done either during the manufacturing process or sprayed onto existing windows during retrofitting. A company called NEXT Energy Technologies also produces transparent PV ink that can be printed directly onto windows, while Solar Window Technologies produces flexible glass with a PV coating that can be installed on existing office windows.
  • Another way solar glass is put to use, is to place small PV ‘micro panels’ in the sides or corners of windows so that light can still pass through the window.
  • Double-pane solar windows have solar cells installed between two panes of glass which helps provide insulation so that the windows can reduce heating and cooling costs while also generating solar electricity.
  • Quantum dots are still being developed. They are nano PV cells that are implanted directly into the glass. When installed, the power generated by the solar glass is connected to the building energy system by wiring hidden in the window frame.

Cost and Efficiency

Overall, solar windows are less efficient than conventional solar panels. However, Polysolar has developed grey-tinted solar glass windows that are between 12% and 15% efficient. This comes close to the efficiency of some brands of conventional solar panels available in the UK, although the most cost-effective and popular solar panel brands are around 20% efficient. These solar windows have a layer of thin photovoltaic embedded in the centre of each of the glass panels. This design costs £250 per square meter. The efficiency level is actually more than a standard thin film solar panel, but it is also an increase when compared to the original, orange-tinted model from the company. The original orange model only cost £175 per square meter, but it was also only able to produce efficiency levels of around 9%.

One of the fantastic things about these panels is that while they are transparent, they are also able to control glare and reduce thermal gain. This is a huge factor when it comes to the reduction of energy use within a building. Polysolar is trying to create a solar panel that is entirely clear with no tinting. While Michigan State University was able to create one that they called the transparent luminescent solar concentrator in 2014, it was only capable of efficiency levels of 1%.

This clear panel also sits over windows, directing the infrared light to photovoltaic solar cells that are located at the edge of the concentrator. There is still a long way to go when it comes to a completely clear panel, but research and development at Polysolar are still going strong. They have managed to create a perfectly clear organic PV glazing on a very small scale. 

Solar glass is still an emerging technology, and it is evident that installing solar windows may work out to be more expensive than getting traditional solar panels. Estimated solar window prices cost between £175 and £250 per square metre of solar glass while installing a 4kW solar system for an average-sized household, costs between £5,000 and £8,000. Although it is not clear exactly what the total cost of solar window installation is, you should expect it to be quite high given the limited supply available of this form of solar technology. 

Common Applications of Solar Windows

The first generation of panels was 7mm thick and weighed 24kg. They have been installed in the forecourts of three Sainsbury’s petrol stations, as well as a canopy at the Barbican Centre in London. Another example of installations for these innovative panels can be found in the form of a transparent solar bus shelter in the centre of London’s Canary Wharf. This is something that provides businesses in the area with the option to adopt the panels as their own. This is because the bus station is not only made from PV glass, but also features PV-powered interactive displays, signage, and lighting, with the excess running back to the grid. Similarly, the Cambridge North railway station cycle park incorporates transparent solar panels in its canopy.

To increase building energy efficiency, developers are integrating solar panels into curtain walls, which are typically used on buildings to provide a non-structural exterior covering to help protect the interior.

For example, the Gloucestershire County Council Hall refurbishment included a new curtain wall with over 380 solar glass panels. Similarly, the Future Business Centre in Cambridge adopted transparent solar panels in its curtain walls.

Transparent solar panels are being used for garden canopies across homes in the UK, making them both useful and eco-friendly.

Applications include a semi-transparent solar glass canopy over a pond and an oak frame canopy for a patio area, integrating renewable technology naturally to provide shade as well as electricity generation for the home.

Solar windows can also be installed in greenhouses on both the roof and walls or even in your conservatory and skylights. Using them in your home and garden can help to generate an excellent amount of electricity for your household or garden appliances.

Solar panel blinds are yet another innovation. They are essentially solar panels made to resemble traditional roller blinds. They work in the same way as normal blinds, blocking outdoor light from making its way in but when doing so, they can convert solar energy into usable electricity. In addition, to optimise efficiency and output, the panels will automatically follow the direction of the sun throughout the day.

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