What is the difference between solar glass and traditional solar panels?

Solar glass is an innovative material that combines photovoltaic technology with architectural glass. While it has the function of generating electricity, it also retains a certain degree of transparency or translucency, so it can be used as a building component such as windows, curtain walls, skylights, etc. Its appearance is modern and beautiful, and it can blend naturally with various architectural styles. In contrast, traditional solar panels use a solid structure, usually dark blue or black, and are encapsulated in a layer of tempered glass by crystalline silicon cell modules. It is not light-transmissive, has a large volume, and has a more industrial appearance. It is mainly installed on the roof of a building or on an open ground, and it is difficult to integrate with the appearance of the building.

In terms of power generation efficiency, solar glass is usually lower than traditional solar panels. Because solar glass needs to take into account the transmittance of light, its cell materials and design are limited to a certain extent, resulting in a conversion efficiency of about 5% to 10%, and the specific value depends on the technology used, such as thin-film solar cells or transparent crystalline silicon technology. Traditional solar panels mainly pursue maximum power output and use more efficient crystalline silicon materials. Their power generation efficiency can usually reach 15% to 23%, which is more suitable for large-scale photovoltaic power stations and commercial photovoltaic projects.

The application scope of solar glass is more diversified, especially suitable for the field of building integrated photovoltaic, such as building glass curtain wall, skylight, skylight, sunshade system, etc., and it has also gradually extended to the field of mobile devices, such as smart phones, electric car windows, etc., to provide additional power sources for the equipment. Traditional solar panels are mostly used in scenes such as roofs, ground power stations, industrial parks and agricultural photovoltaic projects, mainly responsible for the main power supply or grid-connected power generation, and do not have the functional attributes of building materials.

Solar glass has "dual functions", which can be used as a building structural material and provide clean electricity, so it has unique advantages in green building design. It can not only reduce building energy consumption, but also enhance the overall aesthetics, achieving the unity of energy saving and aesthetics. The positioning of traditional solar panels is more single, and its core value is reflected in high-efficiency power generation. It does not have any decorative or structural functions and is often installed outside the building as an additional equipment.

Because solar glass is often used as part of a building, its maintenance frequency is low, but the replacement process may be more complicated, especially after being installed in an integrated manner with the structure. And its initial cost is usually higher than that of traditional photovoltaic products, which is suitable for mid-to-high-end projects with high budgets or focusing on green energy saving. In contrast, traditional solar panels are widely used in residential and industrial power projects because of their mature production technology, simpler and faster installation and maintenance, and lower overall cost.