Company develops window wall technology that can produce solar energy: ‘A groundbreaking breakthrough’

When you consider that adding more solar panels to the grid can increase the potential for renewable energy and reduce electricity costs, it seems obvious to find new places to incorporate them.

As reported by Altenergymag, NEXT Energy Technologies in Santa Barbara, California, has already made progress in transforming modern buildings into solar-generating structures with its NEXT OPV technology.

The company has successfully delivered large-format glass “wall” panels with transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) coatings to Gensler’s headquarters in Los Angeles.

Andy Cohen, co-chairman of Gensler, told Altenergymag: “NEXT Energy Technologies’ transparent OPV is a game-changing innovation for architects that will transform the game plan for sustainable buildings in the near future and for zero-carbon construction in the coming decades by transforming a building’s glass facade into a source of clean, renewable energy.”

So far, OPV panels typically achieve only about 11% efficiency in converting light to energy, compared to an average of 15-20% energy efficiency in most commercially available PV panels, as reported by MarketWatch.

There are still plenty of benefits to OPVs, though. These organic versions use carbon-based semiconductors that require far more abundant materials than those typically used in solar panels — and they’re far less toxic. They can also collect light in the invisible infrared and ultraviolet spectrum, while still letting visual light pass through them.

Gensler’s delivery involved 27-by-35-inch “Lite” panels, which are currently in a pilot run as they attempt to scale up to the full-scale goal of 60-by-120-inch versions. The OPV coating is a neutral gray and achieved an efficiency of 3.5 percent, while its less transparent spandrel glass versions offer up to 12 percent.

NEXT Energy claims that buildings using its OPV-coated glass can support up to 25% of the energy load of a commercial building, while integrating seamlessly into the design and not blocking views, as detailed in the Altenergymag report.

Researchers have been working with OPVs in a variety of applications, even developing flexible, waterproof versions that could end up in clothing. Others have been exploring new organic materials, which could boost the transparency potential of window-based solar generation, according to Phys.org.

HeliaTek in Germany has been working on its own organic solar films, which are “ultra-light, flexible, ultra-thin and truly green.” They can be installed on building facades and other exterior surfaces where traditional photovoltaic panels would not work.

The folks at NEXT Energy are looking to the future with their venture. Their technology is set to last 30 years or more, can boost points toward LEED certification, and can reward residents with lower carbon pollution and a more sustainable living environment.

Homeowners can also make energy-conscious upgrades to their own homes. Adding rooftop solar arrays, geothermal heat pumps and other green technologies can help, with cash back available from the government thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credit incentives.

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