Solarnova laminates thin strips of crystalline silicon between two glass elements. This gives the module a finned look and makes the solar technology largely invisible. With this solution, Solarnova achieves a transparency of 50 per cent. And while this may be associated with a reduction in solar output, the module not only allows a view of the outside world, it also provides shading for the interior of the building. This reduces the amount of energy required to keep the inside cool on hot and sunny summer days.
Solarnova initially presented a unit with a width of one metre and a height of three metres. But it is also available with larger dimensions: The company can manufacture modules up to 2.5 metres by 3.7 metres. In the future, higher or lower degrees of transparency will also be possible by varying the spacing between the narrow semiconductor strips. The solution can also be further developed, for example to produce solar-active insulating glass, which is primarily integrated into mullion-transom facades as well as other applications in building-integrated photovoltaics.
