Nearly a third of all Australian houses have rooftop solar panels.
That’s more than 3.6 million houses which are utilising the renewable energy source, and this figure is expected to increase rapidly over coming years with rising energy costs and a push towards net zero emissions.
But the current technology is limited to rooftop space.
A new technology developed by Perth-based company ClearVue allows for nearly all surfaces of a house to be used to generate solar power, not just the roof.
The company has created completely transparent large-format solar glass that can be used in building construction and is capable of generating the highest energy wattage currently possible on glass.
This solar glass can be used in house windows, skylights, greenhouses and facades, and provide energy to power the house itself or be fed back into the grid.
ClearVue’s core IP is the integration of micro and nano particles interlayer into glass panels, facilitating energy harvesting by solar strips while also preserving the transparency of the glass.
ClearVue’s PV Solar Vision Glass is a finalist in the InnovationAus 2024 Award for Excellence in Energy and Renewables. The InnovationAus Awards for Excellence winners and finalists will be celebrated at a black-tie gala dinner at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney on Wednesday October 30. You can book your tickets here.
Reducing emissions in the building sector is crucial to reaching Australia’s net-zero emissions goal. The construction sector accounts for about 39 per cent of the total carbon footprint of the economy.
Integrating ClearVue’s Solar Vision Glass offers a way for the sector to help reduce its emissions and improve the sustainability of construction.
The company has secured a number of partnerships to facilitate its expansion into global markets, including for solar greenhouses in the United States, and with vacuum-insulated glazing supplier LuxWall to develop the world’s first net-zero window.
ClearVue also has a partnership with the Electron Science Research Institute at Edith Cowan University in Perth, where it first developed the core IP that the glass product is based on.
It also has research partnerships with Macquarie University, Murdoch University and the University of Melbourne.
In May last year, ClearVue launched the second generation of its photovoltaic insulated glazing units as part of its improved solar facade solution.
This is capable of generating renewable energy from nearly all of the surfaces of a building, at a significantly lower cost for the owner of the house.
It is also capable of reducing fabrication and assembly time by 90 percent, according to the company.
Looking for brand exposure in front of Australia’s tech ecosystem? Purchase a table of 10 for the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence and have your logo displayed on screens across the venue and in the event programme as a table sponsor.
The InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence are supported by: Australian Computer Society, Investment NSW, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Technology Council of Australia, TechnologyOne, National Artificial Intelligence Centre, CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program, Reason Group, Q-CTRL, University of New South Wales, and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.