Many governments worldwide now require double pane glass in windows for energy efficiency. In between the panes is usually a gas that helps to cut down on unwanted heat transfer. But what if, sandwiched between the two panes of glass, instead of merely a substance that helps to conserve energy, there was also an actual energy generator? That is the ingenious energy innovation supplied by Israel’s SolarOr, which was on display at this month’s Intersolar event at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
Sandwiched between the two panes, SolarOr inserts tiny faceted solar photovoltaic cells facing the sky at the top of a honeycomb inside the glass.
The solar glass “efficiency” – or electricity generated per square meter – of the result is better than most BIPV, (Building Integrated PV). SolarOr’s says their honeycomb glass can produce 155 Watts per square meter. Typical rooftop PV panels do produce a bit more, but this is not bad for BIPV at all, and similar to that of Pythagoras Solar, another innovative Israeli solar architectural solar glass maker, that just completed a full solar window retrofit for Chicago’s Sears Tower with superior performance BIPV.
Sandwiched between the two panes, SolarOr inserts tiny faceted solar photovoltaic cells facing the sky at the top of a honeycomb inside the glass.
The solar glass “efficiency” – or electricity generated per square meter – of the result is better than most BIPV, (Building Integrated PV). SolarOr’s says their honeycomb glass can produce 155 Watts per square meter. Typical rooftop PV panels do produce a bit more, but this is not bad for BIPV at all, and similar to that of Pythagoras Solar, another innovative Israeli solar architectural solar glass maker, that just completed a full solar window retrofit for Chicago’s Sears Tower with superior performance BIPV.
