Panasonic is testing "power-generating glass" which it expects to start selling by 2028 for use in a wide range of buildings.
Perovskite solar cells are integrated with the glass to produce a photovoltaic layer that's just one micron thick sandwiched between two sheets of glass substrate. The manufacturing process uses a combination of Panasonic's "original inkjet coating method" and laser processing technology to produce large panels of varying size that remain transparent enough to act as windows.
(Credit: Panasonic)Panasonic says it has achieved a conversion efficiency of 17.9%, which is "the world’s highest level conversion efficiency" for a perovskite module of more than 800 square centimeters in size. It's a claim that has been independently verified by the US National Renwewable Energy Laboratory. However, Nikkei Asia points out China's UtmoLight recently stole that crown with a conversion efficiency of 18.6%.
In order to test the prototype power-generating glass panels, Panasonic installed them in a model house constructed for its Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The performance of the glass will be monitored for over a year, with the test expected to end on Nov. 29, 2024.
Panasonic began developing this type of solar cell back in 2014 and is now aiming to have them available for use in a range of buildings by 2028. A Panasonic representative explained that, "We'll use its globally top-class efficiency as a selling point ... Any place in the world where glass is used is a potential market, like office windows and shopping arcade skylights."