‘Breakthrough’ speeds next-gen solar glass manufacturing by 90%

[Image: ClearVue’s solar glass in operation at a shopping centre in Western Australia]

Australian solar glass maker ClearVue Technologies says a manufacturing breakthrough could slash the production time of its new solar glass by more than 90%.

Working with its Chinese partner, they manufactured 80 of its new generation ‘integrated glazing units’ (IGUs), and were able to cut both time and costs while using still using standardised mass production lines, ClearVue said in a company statement.

These second-generation units, which combine clear glass with nanoparticle technology that reflects and redistributes light to solar cells in the frames of the glass, first tested this new manufacturing process in Singapore, where production times were cut, and then replicated the process in China on existing, unmodified commercial manufacturing lines.

“This is a very important production milestone for our industry-leading second generation IGUs and Façade Solutions, which integrate solar technology into construction glass and building facades to provide renewable energy,” ClearVue CEO Martin Deil says.

“Our Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs) can be produced on mass production lines without the need for glass manufacturers to make changes to their standardised lines – providing them with reduced capital costs and low downtime between different product runs.

“By reducing fabrication and assembly times, we lower their costs and increase their production outputs and manufacturing plant capability, leading to lower cost products for end-customers.”

Deil says as governments regulators mandate new building standards and push carbon reduction initiatives, and businesses look for solutions to meet these net-zero carbon requirements, it requires new approaches from the industry, but manufacturers still need to be able to make products in cost-effective ways that fit into existing product facility manufacturing capabilities, and these products are one potential solution.

ClearVue is currently in discussions with a number of manufacturing license partners around the world for the new technology.

Earlier this year, ClearVue won a $2 million grant to establish a West Australian-based photovoltaic and nanoparticle components manufacturing facility.