With the rapid development of solar technology, solar panels are increasingly integrated into the overall design of buildings. In the future, a skyscraper that looks normal at first glance may actually be an energy-saving zero-carbon building covered with glass solar panels.
British solar photovoltaic Polysolar is committed to combining buildings and solar panels, using organic polymer thin-film solar technology to develop building-integrated solar energy (BIPV), allowing glass solar panels to replace the original windows. A 1,200 x 600 mm glass solar panel can produce 5kWh of electricity per month, and the company also claims that its solar panels will not distort the scenery, and there are also options such as adjustable color-changing and orange blackout glass solar panels, which can also be selected through glass solutions. Decide what kind of transparency glass you want.
Polysolar pointed out that if the glass windows of London's Shard building (The Shard enough to cover 8 football fields) are replaced by solar panels, it can produce 2,500MWh of electricity per year, which can provide electricity for 1,000 households for a whole year, in addition to greatly reducing air conditioning With the cost of electricity, it can also turn an ordinary building into a zero-carbon green building.
While standard glass solar panels are currently more expensive, arguably twice as expensive as traditional windows, the company says prices will drop significantly once mass production begins. In addition, the price of solar panels can be included in the original building materials, and the installation cost can also be included in the construction work. Combined with design and aesthetics, this technology has many opportunities for development in BIPV.
Polysolar CEO Hamish Watson said that thanks to the global environmental awareness of "reducing carbon emissions", renewable energy is becoming more and more important. It can make good use of the potential market and business opportunities of BIPV, and at the same time make a contribution to the earth, and the company hopes to help London in the future. Build 500 green buildings.
Independent's previous analysis pointed out that the solar photovoltaic building integration business opportunity in 2022 will reach 26 billion US dollars. Although this only accounts for a small part of the architectural glass market, it is still a development opportunity. In addition, glass solar energy applications, like other solar panels, can also be used. Equipment in homes and garages, powering homes and electric vehicles, is another consideration for consumers.
The company has previously conducted small-scale trials in the UK, such as installing a glass solar roof at a Sainsbury petrol station in 2013, building a solar bus station at London’s Canary Wharf in 2017, or building a solar-powered bus stop at British Rail (British Rail) (2017). Network Rail) external wall canopy with solar panels.
This is not a manufacturer that develops glass solar panels, or wants to integrate windows and solar technology. In December 2017, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the United States also invented solar color-changing windows. When the windows are exposed to sunlight, they will darken. In addition to heat insulation, it also has the function of power generation, and the photoelectric conversion can reach 11.3%.
If you don't have a large roof and you want to use solar power to pay for electricity, solar windows and exterior walls are good choices. In 2005, CIS Solar Tower in Manchester, UK, laid 7,000 solar panels on the outer wall of the building, which is the largest vertical solar building in Europe and a BIPV initiative.
-转自中国玻璃网
