What are transparent solar panels?

Transparent solar panels, also known as solar glass, are see-through photovoltaic (PV) technologies that can generate electricity from daylight. Unlike traditional opaque solar panels, these panels allow a portion of visible light to pass through them, making them ideal for use as certain types of window, as well as skylights and building facades.

What is a transparent photovoltaic (PV) panel?

Michigan State University (MSU) developed the first fully transparent photovoltaic (PV) panels in 2014. These panels are suitable for clear windows and even touch screens on devices because they don’t absorb visible sunlight, creating a new paradigm for solar power.

What is transparent photovoltaic (TPV)?

There are approximately nine transparent photovoltaic (TPV) technologies under development, and studies regarding these technologies aim to achieve high transparency along with electrical performance that is compatible with solar panels that are sold in the market.

Are transparent solar panels compatible with market PVS?

In general, when comparing all these technologies in terms of maturity and closeness to market, 80% of these technologies are still under development and need more improvements in order to be compatible with market PVs. In addition, these studies are limited to transparent solar cells, not transparent solar panels.

What is Photovoltaic Glass?

Photovoltaic glass is probably the most cutting-edge new solar panel technology that promises to be a game-changer in expanding the scope of solar. These are transparent solar panels that can literally generate electricity from windows—in offices, homes, car’s sunroof, or even smartphones.

Can transparent photovoltaics be improved?

"While this innovative solar cell is still very much in its infancy, our results strongly suggest that further improvement is possible for transparent photovoltaics by optimizing the cell's optical and electrical properties," suggests Prof. Kim.