The patented solar glass technology of Australian clean energy innovator ClearVue Technologies has been selected for use in a greenhouse at a high-profile eco-tourism and “wellness” resort in Japan.
Perth-based ClearVue said last week that it had received an order for 187 of its glazing panels, to be integrated into the roof of a strawberry greenhouse at the Aqua Ignis Hot Springs project in the Fujitsuka area of Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai City.
ClearVue’s technology incorporates a clear lamination layer between glass panels that drives the incoming wavelengths of UV and IR light to PV cells located around the edge of an integrated window unit to generate electricity.
As the company has demonstrated with a “world-first” clear solar glass greenhouse at Murdoch University in Western Australia, this is ideal for agricultural applications, as the clear glass lets in natural sunlight, while diverting the wavelengths that can be harmful to plants for conversion into power.
The solar greenhouse at the Aqua Ignis project is expected to generate around 8,573kWh of renewable energy a year based on modelling for the region, while also contributing to the eco-tourism credentials of the resort.
“The Aqua Ignis Hot Springs project… is set to become a significant tourist attraction in the region with visitors able to visit the strawberry greenhouse and experience ClearVue’s world leading solar PV glazing solution,” ClearVue said in a statement.
