Multiple modern glass and window products based on novel glazing designs, metal-dielectric coatings, and proprietary interlayer types have been developed recently. Advanced windows of today can control properties such as thermal insulation, heat gain, colour, and transparency. More recent and novel glass products feature solar energy harvesting through PV integration. Typically, semitransparent and highly-transparent PV windows are purpose-designed, for applications in construction and greenhousing, to include luminescent materials, special microstructures, and customized glazings and electric circuitry. Recently, significant progress has been demonstrated in building-integrated highly-transparent solar windows (visible light transmission up to 70%, with Pmax ~ 30-33 Wp/m2, eg Clearvue PV Solar Windows); these are expected to add momentum towards decarbonisation and the development of smart cities. Advanced agrivoltaics applications are also emerging. Clearvue window systems are, at present in 2022, the only type of high-transparency and clear construction materials capable of providing significant energy savings in buildings, simultaneously with renewable energy generation. The technology has already been deployed and tested in both commercial property applications and in R&D greenhousing. Of special interest is the combination of properties provided by Clearvue solar windows, which includes significant power conversion efficiency (~3.3%), achieved in windows of colour rendering index of up to 99%, simultaneously featuring high PV Yields in multi-oriented BIPV installations. The greenhouse-based solar windows installation at Murdoch University (Perth, Australia) has already demonstrated great potential for commercial food production with significant energy saving.
John Downes
High-transparency clear window-integrated PV and agrivoltaics
Company: Clearvue Technologies, London, United Kingdom
About the speaker:
John is Global Head of Façade Supply Chain for Lendlease and has 30+ years’ experience in the construction sector. His current role covers the four continents: Europe; North America; Asia; and Australia with his remit involving a selection of façade typology across these regions varying from skyscrapers and large infrastructure projects, to large scale urban regeneration in what Lendlease calls ‘Gateway Cities’. John feels very strongly about showing Leadership in Façade Sustainability and is keen to play a part in the acceleration of decarbonisation within the Façade Industry.