London's leading architects recently gathered at the Royal Opera House for the launch of PowerGlaz, a laminated glass that incorporates BP Solar (Linthicum, MD) photovoltaic (PV) cells. The solar-electric glass, which can be incorporated into the structure of a building to produce clean electricity, is to go on sale in the UK later this year and could revolutionize the use of renewable energy in building design.
Developed by BP Solar and Romag, a world leader in the manufacturer of specialized laminated glass, the two companies have spent six years developing the product, and believe that PowerGlaz will be easy-to-install and serve the dual purpose of replacing conventional glazing materials while simultaneously harnessing energy from natural light to produce clean electricity. PowerGlaz is essentially high-performance, solar-electric cells laminated between glass panels, which also cuts carbon dioxide emissions and provides a substantial percentage of the maximum power requirement of a building.
