The Challenge for Building Integration of Highly Transparent Photovoltaics and Photoelectrochromic Devices

Abstract

This paper holds a critical review of current research activities dealing with smart architectural glazing worldwide. Hereafter, the main trends are analyzed and critically reported, with open issues, challenges, and opportunities, providing an accurate description of technological evolution of devices in time. This manuscript deals with some well-known, highly performing technologies, such as semitransparent photovoltaics and novel photoelectrochromic devices, the readiest, probably, to reach the final stage of development, to disclose the manifold advantages of multifunctional, smart glazing. The complex, overall effects of their building integration are also reported, especially regarding energy balance and indoor visual comfort in buildings.

All Slot‐Die Coated Non‐Fullerene Organic Solar Cells with PCE 11%

“…OPV technology is attracting many interests for building integration with special attention to the solution processable OPV devices. [42,43] However, for this application, the opaque top electrode must be replaced by ST and ideally solution processable electrodes. Between the pool of semitransparent top electrode, AgNWs is one of the best candidates for ST OPV due to their synergist characteristics of high transparency, low resistivity, and easy processability from solution.…”

State-of-the-Art Technologies for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems

“…However, it should maintain technical and economic requirements, aesthetical aspects prior to integrating into the building envelopes to fulfill the necessary factional requirements [104][105][106]. The initial maintenance and replacement costs, cost-efficiency, codes and standards, PV types, building load and location, psychological and social factors, are the main parameters that influence the BIPV systems [107][108][109]. Additionally, the progress of BIPV systems is restricted by the operational expertise, data collection, and planning analysis, commissioning, national manufacturing, the potential of the national market, standardized technology, etc.…”

Chromogenic Technologies for Energy Saving

“…Liquid electrolytes containing volatile solvents may undergo evaporation and leakage, affecting the durability of devices [20]. They can be solid, as in the case of tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) [21,22], liquid [23,24], or gel [25,26]. Electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) [27] or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) raise their ion conductivity by adding specific amounts of salts, such as lithium perchlorate LiClO 4 , LiTF, lithium iodide (LiI), or lithium sulfide (Li 2 SO 4 ).…”

“…In recent years, beyond the strategies aiming at improving device performance and new optimization processes for materials on the nanoscale, there has been a clear trend to design devices with extended functionalities, coupling several functions; in the case of photoelectrochromic devices [93,94] and photovoltachromic ones [23], this would allow the separation of the control of optical modulation from photovoltaic conversion. A further approach, aiming at a separation of visible and near-infrared modulation, has been adopted in the design of so-called dual-band devices, produced by the research group of the LBNL [33,34].…”