California startup installs building-integrated, organic photovoltaic facade
Next Energy Technologies has completed the first installation of its transparent organic photovoltaic glass facade. The 9.3 m2 installation is located at its headquarters in Santa Barbara, California.
Next Energy Technologies has completed the first installation of its transparent organic photovoltaic glass facade. The 9.3 m2 installation is located at its headquarters in Santa Barbara, California.
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) start-up Next Energy Technologies has installed a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facade featuring its OPV coatings.
Located at the company’s headquarters in Santa Barbara, the installation features six transparent windows each measuring 40 by 60 inches (101.6 cm x 152.4 cm) for a total area of 100 square feet (9.3 m2).
Each insulating glass unit incorporates Next’s OPV coating on the outboard lite and runs cables through the framing system.
The windows were fabricated with low-e coated inboard lites and spacers supplied by architectural glass fabricator Viracon, while the framing system was designed, supplied and installed by Walters & Wolf.
Next says the installation is the world’s first commercial BIPV facade to feature its OPV coatings, following on from the unveiling of its fully transparent organic PV window in February.
The company estimates that, while leveraging existing infrastructure, its OPV facade can generate enough electricity to offset approximately 20% to 25% of the energy consumption typical of commercial properties.
Daniel Emmett, CEO, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Next, said the successful scaling of the technology “takes Next and the industry closer to a future of sustainable building design.”
“We’re incredibly proud of the quality of the coating, the seamless installation, and the power generation performance we’re already seeing from this first facade installation,” he added.
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