David Savastano, Editor06.18.14
The ability to capture solar energy is of increasing importance to society, and is a great opportunity for innovative companies. For example, harvesting the sun’s rays in order to power buildings would be both sustainable and cost-efficient, once the equipment pays for itself.
This is where New Energy Technologies, Inc. comes in. Principal scientist Dr. Scott Hammond created the foundation for Solar Window™, a patented technology that generates clean electricity on see-through glass windows, making use of the energy of natural sunlight and artificial sources such as fluorescent and LED lighting. Working with the University of South Florida and with the U.S. Department of Energy – National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), New Energy Technologies has certified that its high-performance prototype produced more 50% greater power than prior attempts publicized by others of comparable organic photovoltaic (OPV) prototype device architecture, size and design.
In addition, the company is also working on MotionPower, a peristaltic energy harvester which uses passing vehicles to produce electrical energy as they drive along a roadway surface.
John Conklin, president and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc., noted that the company is focused on the research, development and eventual commercialization of emerging next-generation alternative and renewable energy technologies.
“We are a development stage renewable and alternative energy company, actively developing two novel technologies for generating sustainable electricity, one of which harvests solar energy and artificial light, and the other harvests the available kinetic energy present in moving vehicles,” Conklin said. “Our proprietary, patent-pending technologies and products, which are the subjects of 87 patent filings, have been invented, designed, engineered and prototyped in preparation for advanced field testing, product development and commercial deployment.”
“The first-of-its-kind SolarWindow technologies generate electricity on see-through glass and flexible plastics with colored tints popular to skyscraper glass,” Conklin added. “Unlike conventional systems, SolarWindow can be applied to all four sides of tall towers, generating electricity using natural and artificial light conditions and even shaded areas. SolarWindow uses organic materials, which are dissolved into liquid, ideal for low-cost high-output manufacturing. New Energy’s SolarWindow is the subject of 42 patent applications.”
SolarWindow has been under development since 2009. Conklin noted that SolarWindow coatings make use of the world’s smallest functional organic solar cells, which measure less than ¼ the size of a grain of rice, and have been shown to successfully produce electricity in a published peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy of the American Institute of Physics. These cells are sprayed on to see-through glass at room temperature using a novel, patent-pending process, and do not require expensive high-temperature or high-vacuum production methods. The cells measure less than 1/10th the thickness of “thin” films, or 1/1000th the thickness of human hair.
The company is currently working on six SolarWindow products:
• SolarWindow-Commercial - A flat glass product for installation in new commercial towers under construction and replacement windows.
• SolarWindow-Structural Glass - Structural glass walls and curtains for tall structures.
• SolarWindow-Architectural Glass - Textured and decorative interior glass walls, room dividers, etc.
• SolarWindow-Residential - A window glass for installation in new residential homes under construction and replacement windows.
• SolarWindow-Flex - Flexible films which may be applied directly on to glass, similar to aftermarket window tint films, for retrofit to existing commercial towers, buildings, and residential homes.
• SolarWindow-BIPV - Building product components associated with building-integrated-photovoltaic (“BIPV”) applications in homes, buildings, and office towers.
“We are developing SolarWindow to be modular (similar to solar PV modules where each window will be a Module),” Conklin added. “The SolarWindow system is planned to consist of a system with many SolarWindow interconnections, an inverter; and charge controller and energy storage device, if required. Product development will address concealment of interconnecting wires in casings and trim fixtures. SolarWindow will generate DC electricity and send it to the inverter. The inverter transforms DC power into AC electricity (charge regulation to a storage device, if required) that may be used to power lights, appliances, computer equipment and other fixtures that power modern life.”
Conklin noted that New Energy Technologies has discussed SolarWindow module systems with major window manufactures and fabricators and glass manufacturers, and in order to advance the technical development and subsequent commercialization of SolarWindow products, the company is seeking technology and product licensing arrangements with research institutions, commercial partners and organizations with established technical competencies, market reach, and mature distribution networks in the solar PV, building-integrated PV and alternative and renewable energy market industries.
Conklin said that New Energy Technologies continues to improve its SolarWindow technology, with the next step being field tests.
“We are continuing to advance and optimize our SolarWindow prototype technology and anticipate conducting field tests in the future as part of our development steps toward market-ready products,” Conklin added.
Conklin said that the potential production scale for SolarWindow is immense. “Our SolarWindow technology, capable of generating electricity on see-through glass windows, is under development for potential application in the estimated five million commercial buildings in America and more than 80 million single detached homes,” he concluded.