this company, the leader in transparent solar technology, has been up to a lot since our first profile from last year.
BY STEVE PANOSIAN
Miles Barr
TD’S DEBUT ARTICLE ON UBIQUITOUS ENERGY, the leader in transparent solar technology, was first featured a year ago and our second article in February of this year reported on their world’s first working prototype installation. Since the first quarter of 2020, Ubiquitous Energy has focused on building further awareness, refining their website messaging, and the company executives continue to herald product developments and expanding on its promising application.
Miles Barr, UE’s founder and CTO, shares his vision on providing a Net Zero solution using its solar film layered window technology by providing an energy solution for virtually any home and commercial building. In his March 2020 CNN Business interview, Miles says that buildings consume 70% of this country’s electricity usage according to the EPA and roughly 25% of a building’s power consumption could be generated by the UE Transparent Solar technology. When you consider that states like California are mandating that all new construction include solar electric technology, a promising future for all solar technology is on the horizon.
UE’s commitment to going green
Ubiquitous Energy has the only patent-protected solar technology that selectively captures ultraviolet and infrared light while allowing visible light to pass through. Because the solar film technology captures heat generating UV and IR light, the technology doubles as a Low-E window and matches the transparency of most commercial windows today.
But going green sometimes means some level of sacrifice. Aesthetically speaking, UE’s windows are not visibly different than conventional windows, making the technology truly transparent in this regard. Installation is expected to be simpler than rooftop solar panels. Depending on the intended use of the generated power, wiring can be directed to power smart features and/or be fed back to the electrical grid via electrical wiring that is routed and hidden within the window frames.
These windows will also be smart. Systems integrators will be able to integrate the ability to monitor the windows remotely for their performance and be alerted before there is a significant issue so that they can be replaced or repaired if needed.
UE’s commitment to going green
Ubiquitous Energy has the only patent-protected solar technology that selectively captures ultraviolet and infrared light while allowing visible light to pass through. Because the solar film technology captures heat generating UV and IR light, the technology doubles as a Low-E window and matches the transparency of most commercial windows today.
But going green sometimes means some level of sacrifice. Aesthetically speaking, UE’s windows are not visibly different than conventional windows, making the technology truly transparent in this regard. Installation is expected to be simpler than rooftop solar panels. Depending on the intended use of the generated power, wiring can be directed to power smart features and/or be fed back to the electrical grid via electrical wiring that is routed and hidden within the window frames.
These windows will also be smart. Systems integrators will be able to integrate the ability to monitor the windows remotely for their performance and be alerted before there is a significant issue so that they can be replaced or repaired if needed.
commercial applications
Perhaps the biggest challenge is the push for greener buildings. Builders and developers alike are looking at commercial buildings which account for nearly 40% of the world’s total energy consumption and as mentioned earlier, the percentage is 70% in the USA. UE window production, once up and running, of these new-gen glass windows will certainly make aggressive carbon-neutral goals achievable for both new and existing structures. To building occupants, UE windows have the clear, vibrant experience that is expected from traditional windows. To building administrators and developers, they are a powerful new tool in the quest for optimal energy use. UE’s manufacturing opportunity is licensing a world class glass maker like Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.
residential applications
Ubiquitous Energy powers the undetectable anchor for the smart home industry: The Smart Window. UE’s windows are a new product category, windows with on-board solar power to drive a variety of functions. The on-board power platform seamlessly integrates with a plethora of smart home devices and other electronics throughout the home, all while maintaining complete continuity with traditional residential windows, both in terms of visual aesthetic and low-E functionality. The UE film layer can also be applied to almost any surface that includes smart home devices so wired power or battery power will not be necessary.
future applications
Ubiquitous Energy envisions a world where every surface, no matter how large or small, can generate electricity without compromising aesthetics using truly transparent photovoltaic technology. There are endless possibilities – applying the proprietary coating to consumer electronics, transportation vehicles, and even greenhouses. Any product that requires electricity can benefit from transparent solar. As more high-quality, smart devices are adopted, there becomes more opportunity for transparent solar capture, as we must become less reliant on fossil fuel power sources.
The possibilities are truly ubiquitous.
