Glazing/Window Market

In 2008, global production of flat glass was 53 billion tons representing $32 million in value and 6.6 billion square meters, with 70% consumed for windows in buildings, 20% for interior applications and furniture and 10% for automotive applications. In 2010, 22.4 million car sunroofs were made, representing 10 million square meters of glass.

Market Need

With growing global interest in building efficiency and distributed solar energy generation an opportunity exists to utilize the greater surface area of a building's façade surfaces in the generation of solar power – versus the roof area alone.

GPEC Solution

GPEC's SM-OPV™ ClearPower™ technology can meet the demand for a value-added glazing product that can generate power from sunlight without reducing a window's ability to function as a window. With its tunable color characteristics, nanometer thin layers and multiple transparent electrical conductors ClearPower™ technology can deliver windows that retain their basic function while generating power.

Window generated power can contribute to the reduction in energy needs of residential or commercial buildings, reduce the need for increased power transport capabilities and provide for a localized source of DC power for high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Globally, annual building glass production represents a potential 793 billion kw-hrs of solar power generation potential.