Australia’s ClearVue Scores Solar Glass Order In Japan

ClearVue Technologies Limited has announced it has received an order for its solar glass product via ClearVue’s recently appointed Japanese distributor.

ClearVue’s solar window technology incorporates a clear lamination layer between glass panels that redirects UV and IR wavelengths to solar PV cells located around the edge of the Insulated Glass Unit (IGU).  Up to 70% of visible light passes through the glass.

Each 1m2 of ClearVue windows is currently rated to generate up to 40 Wp of electric power, with 50Wp on the horizon. The company claims it can provide a financial payback of less than a year – in some cases in some locations.

ClearVue’s first demonstration project was an installation at Warwick Grove Shopping Centre in Western Australia. Installed in 2019, the company has further refined the product since, enabling greater window module sizes, more glazing options and better efficiency.

The new order from Japan was delivered through local distributor Tomita Technologies and is for a hot springs health and wellness project in the Fujitsuka area of Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai City.

187 of ClearVue’s glazing panels will be integrated into the roof of a strawberry greenhouse at Aqua Ignis Hot Springs. Around 333m2 of the solar glass will be used for the project and fabrication is expected to be completed in approximately 12 weeks.

The company says based on modelling for that region, the greenhouse will generate an estimated 8,573 kWh of electricity annually.

“The Aqua Ignis project in Sendai is a great starting project for ClearVue distributor Tomita and it will provide invaluable insights into the installation and technical nuances of the ClearVue product before Tomita takes on larger scale greenhouse projects throughout Japan,” said ClearVue Executive Chairman Victor Rosenberg.

Sydney Solar Glass Project Delivery Soon

The value of the deal in Japan wasn’t mentioned, but in late June ClearVue announced an Australian order for 104 sqm (42 panels) costing $114,00 ex-GST. That order was for a structure in a still unnamed inner-city park in Sydney. We should be hearing more on that soon as ClearVue has commenced manufacture of the panels and is expected to deliver them next month.

In the months ahead, we should also be hearing more on other projects; including a demonstration installation in New York City and mini-home (tiny house?) showcase project in Fremantle, Western Australia.

Last month, ClearVue released an update with some initial results from a high-tech greenhouse utilising solar glass in Western Australia. It noted generation data from each of the three sections of the greenhouse using the ClearVue PV glazing panels indicated they were performing better than was predicted for the time of year.

“Specifically, growing rooms 2,3 and 4 have each individually used an average of 11-12 kWh per day (or 33-36 kWh for the total of the three ClearVue glazed rooms compared to 30-33 kWh required to operate the one scientific control room in room 1)”

Room 1 has ordinary glazing. Early data was also suggesting the ClearVue PV growing rooms were saving around 20% on water consumption compared to the control room 1 due to lower evaporation rates.