Beyond the ordinary
The next generation of solar technology is turning every window into a power generator. Engineers and researchers have developed transparent solar panels that look like ordinary architectural glass yet absorb energy-rich ultraviolet and infrared light to produce electricity. These innovative windows permit full visible daylight for comfort and design, while special photovoltaic layers harvest the sun’s invisible spectrum. At Hoordad Energy Ariyan, we’re proud to unveil our new transparent solar glass—a major R&D milestone that seamlessly integrates clean power into buildings without sacrificing style or function.
How Transparent Solar Panels Work
Transparent solar panels use spectrally selective materials so that visible light passes through while ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light are converted to electricity. In practice this is achieved by advanced thin-film PV coatings. Examples include:
Organic Photovoltaic Coatings: Carbon-based (organic) molecules can be tuned to absorb UV/IR and remain clear in visible wavelengths. For instance, some researchers developed an organic solar film achieving ~8.1% conversion efficiency at ~43% visible transparency.
Perovskite Photovoltaics: Perovskite semiconductors are a promising next-generation PV material. Semi-transparent perovskite window cells can be made by adjusting crystal composition. A team recently reported ~15.5% efficiency in a cell that transmits ~20% of visible light, demonstrating the high potential of perovskites for clear solar glass.
Spectrally-Selective Coatings: Some designs use nanoscale dyes or phosphors. Some companies use non-toxic organic dyes to harvest UV and IR light while leaving the glass looking identical to ordinary window glass. This “invisible” solar coating turns any sunlit pane into a PV cell without altering its appearance.
Each of these approaches allows daylight to penetrate normally (“clear view”) while converting the otherwise wasted UV/IR photons into power. This key principle – wavelength-selective absorption – is what enables a window to double as a clean-energy source without tinting or glare.
Our transparent solar panels also integrate seamlessly with smart building controls. By pairing the glass with IoT sensors and our AI-driven energy platform, we create a digital twin of the building’s energy flows.
For example, when multiple solar windows span a façade, our system dynamically optimizes their output: excess generation can charge batteries or cool unoccupied zones, and indoor lighting or HVAC can be adjusted to maximize on-site solar use.
This end-to-end solution means customers get both elegant glazing and an intelligent microgrid controller. In practical terms, installing our solar glass immediately adds renewable power while our software continuously adjusts for comfort and cost savings. This holistic approach – combining next-gen PV materials with real-time data analytics and control – is what truly sets our offering apart.
Key Benefits for Customers
Adopting transparent solar glass offers building owners and occupants several compelling advantages:
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Seamless Aesthetics: Our solar glass is visually identical to conventional windows. Natural light floods through, colors remain true, and the exterior looks no different than normal façades Architects can preserve their design vision while the building quietly generates power.
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On-Site Power Generation: Every square meter of solar glass becomes a rooftop power substitute. Early projects show the impact: Copenhagen International School’s façade (12,000 tinted-but-clear panels) generates about 200 MWh per year – over half the school’s electricity needs. In your building, our panels will cut grid electricity purchases and deliver year-round savings.
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Smart Building Compatibility: Our product is designed for today’s intelligent buildings. It pairs with IoT sensors and energy management systems so that generation, storage, lighting, and HVAC work in concert. For example, some smart windows (with sensors) already cut energy bills by ~30%; Hoordad’s solution drives even more efficiency by actively balancing loads with PV output. The result is a greener building that also operates smarter, not just darker glass.
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Dual-Use Space: Unlike roof panels that occupy space, our solar glass doubles the function of windows. You keep all the daylighting benefits while also producing power. This avoids the need for extra land or unattractive panel arrays. Especially in dense urban areas, converting vertical surfaces into power plants is an economic and spatial advantage.
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Lower Carbon Footprint: By generating electricity on-site from solar, the building’s carbon emissions drop immediately. Each kWh from the sun displaces fossil-generated power.
As one industry leader put it, “glass will no longer be just a component of construction, but also a renewable energy source and a key element in decarbonization efforts”. Our transparent PV contributes directly to net-zero energy targets and ESG goals.
Environmental Advantages
Transparent solar glass has unique environmental benefits beyond conventional PV:
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Maximized Land Use: There are billions of square meters of glass in cities that go dark after sunset. By converting façades into PV, we harness existing real estate for energy. For example, the U.S. alone has an estimated 5–7 billion m² of glass surfaces – essentially a continent-sized solar resource waiting to be tapped.
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Energy+Light with One Product: Traditional solar panels shade areas, but our panels let light in. Plants, people, and occupants still receive daylight, avoiding the energy and well-being penalties of opaque arrays. This dual-use approach yields more “value per square meter” – both illumination and kilowatts – thereby improving life-cycle efficiency.
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Cooler Buildings: In some designs, the solar glass can also reduce heat gain by reflecting IR, lowering cooling loads. Combined with smart controls, this further cuts the building’s overall energy demand.
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Renewable Materials: Our panels use non-toxic, earth-abundant materials and avoid rare or hazardous elements. They are designed for longevity and eventual recycling into new glass. Overall, each solar window installed reduces the building’s embodied carbon footprint while generating clean power daily.
Why Investors Are Excited
The transparent solar market is still nascent, but its potential is enormous – and investors are taking note:
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Massive Untapped Market: Ordinary glass surfaces form a huge area for expansion. In cities, façades outnumber roof space many times over. Transparent PV could theoretically supply a large fraction of building energy needs. Consider that in the U.S. alone there are ~5–7 billion m² of building glass– enough area to generate gigawatts of solar capacity if equipped with PV.
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High Growth Forecasts: Although current market revenue is modest (on the order of tens of millions USD in 2023), forecasts predict rapid growth (nearly triple by 2030). Building-integrated PV is expected to be one of the fastest-growing segments in solar, driven by decarbonization mandates and green building codes. Our R&D positions Hoordad to capture this emerging opportunity as an early leader.
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Scalability: Our technology leverages thin-film coating processes that are scalable. Unlike brittle silicon modules, these coatings can be applied to large glass panels in manufacturing lines, similar to how insulated glass is already produced. This lowers capital investment for factories and avoids supply-chain bottlenecks tied to crystalline silicon. In fact, perovskite and organic PV manufacturing can use roll-to-roll or printing techniques, potentially reaching scale faster and at lower cost than traditional PV.
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Strategic Fit: Transparent PV dovetails with big trends: net-zero buildings, IoT-enabled smart cities, and green infrastructure. Governments and corporations are offering subsidies and incentives for innovative clean-tech. For investors, projects that both generate revenue (electricity) and save costs (lighting/AC) offer attractive returns.
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Proven Demand and References: The first commercial installations show that demand is real. These reference sites de-risk the technology. Hoordad’s ready-to-market product and patent pipeline mean we’re poised to win contracts with developers and facade suppliers who want to be first-movers.
In summary, transparent solar glass represents a powerful convergence of design and sustainability. By integrating clean power into buildings at virtually no visible cost, it offers an elegant solution for the energy transition. Hoordad Energy’s new PV glass is the culmination of our cutting-edge R&D and positions us at the forefront of this field. We are now ready to partner with architects, builders, and investors to bring this innovation from the lab to landmark buildings.
