From Sunshade to Power Generation - The Low-Carbon Magic of Photovoltaic Glass In the wave of global low-c
In the wave of global low-carbon transformation, a seemingly ordinary material is quietly changing the pattern of energy utilization - photovoltaic glass. It breaks the single attribute of traditional glass of "shading the sun and blocking rain". With its characteristics of high light transmittance and strong weather resistance, it realizes the dual value of "shading" and "power generation" in different scenarios, becoming an important promoter of low-carbon life. From family roofs to commercial buildings, from agricultural greenhouses to transportation facilities, the "low-carbon magic" of photovoltaic glass is permeating all aspects of life.
Villa Roofs: An "Energy Revolution" in Private Spaces
For urban villas or rural self-built houses, roof spaces have long been idle or only used as sunshade and rainproof carriers. The emergence of photovoltaic glass has turned this space into a "private power station"
.The photovoltaic glass modules installed on villa roofs adopt ultra-white calendering technology, with a light transmittance of over 94%. They can not only effectively block the strong direct sunlight in summer and reduce indoor air conditioning energy consumption, but also convert the absorbed sunlight into electricity. Taking a 300-square-meter villa as an example, laying about 50 square meters of photovoltaic glass can generate more than 8,000 kWh of electricity annually, which can fully meet the daily electricity needs of the family. In areas with sufficient sunlight, the excess electricity can also be connected to the power grid to obtain stable income.
What's more, photovoltaic glass has undergone tempering treatment, and its impact resistance is 3-5 times that of ordinary glass, which can resist extreme weather such as hailstorms and typhoons. At the same time, its surface anti-reflection film not only reduces light loss, but also has a self-cleaning function, reducing later maintenance costs. For owners pursuing a quality life, photovoltaic glass has a high degree of integration with architectural styles. It can be customized in size and color according to the roof shape, retaining the beauty of the building while achieving energy self-sufficiency, truly realizing "shading without blocking light, generating electricity without occupying land".
Agricultural Greenhouses: "Coordinated Operation" of Photovoltaics and Planting
Agricultural greenhouses are important facilities to ensure the growth of off-season crops. Traditional greenhouse glass or plastic films can only play the role of heat preservation and sunshade. The application of photovoltaic glass has enabled agricultural greenhouses to achieve the low-carbon miracle of "double income per mu of land".
In a photovoltaic agricultural demonstration base in Shandong, 100 mu of vegetable greenhouses are all covered with photovoltaic glass, with an annual power generation of 1.2 million kWh, which not only meets the electricity needs of the greenhouse's temperature control, irrigation and other systems, but also provides clean energy for surrounding villages. At the same time, the thermal insulation performance of photovoltaic glass reduces the temperature fluctuation in the greenhouse by 5℃-8℃, increases crop yield by more than 15%, and reduces pesticide usage by 20%, realizing a virtuous cycle of "power generation does not affect planting, and planting helps low-carbon".
Commercial Buildings: "Low-Carbon Transformation" of Curtain Walls and Roofs
As high-energy-consuming places, the energy consumption of air conditioning, lighting and other systems in commercial buildings accounts for more than 70% of the total building energy consumption. The application of photovoltaic glass has made the curtain walls and roofs of commercial buildings become "power-generating low-carbon skins".
On the curtain walls of office buildings, shopping malls and other commercial buildings, photovoltaic glass is not only a decorative surface of the building, but also a distributed power station. A Grade A office building in Shanghai adopts BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics) photovoltaic glass curtain walls with a total area of 5,000 square meters, with an annual power generation of about 600,000 kWh, which can meet 15% of the electricity demand in the public areas of the building and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 500 tons annually. At the same time, the thermal insulation performance of photovoltaic glass reduces the summer air conditioning load of the building by 20%, further improving low-carbon benefits.
The roofs of commercial buildings are also important stages for photovoltaic glass. A shopping mall in Beijing laid 3,000 square meters of photovoltaic glass on its roof, with an annual power generation of 360,000 kWh. This electricity is directly used for the mall's lighting and elevator systems, saving more than 400,000 yuan in electricity bills annually. In addition, the photovoltaic glass roof can effectively reduce the roof temperature, reduce the air conditioning energy consumption of top-floor shops, and realize the multiple values of "power generation, energy conservation and emission reduction".
Transportation Facilities: "Green Power Generation" in Parking Lots and Toll Stations
As an important source of carbon emissions, transportation facilities have long attracted attention for their energy consumption and emission reduction potential. The application of photovoltaic glass in transportation facilities such as parking lots and toll stations provides a new path for the low-carbon transformation of the transportation field.
The roof of the parking lot is an ideal installation place for photovoltaic glass. In a large parking lot in Guangzhou, photovoltaic glass roofs cover 1,000 parking spaces, with an annual power generation of about 150,000 kWh. This electricity not only meets the electricity needs of the parking lot's lighting, charging piles and other systems, but also provides power support for surrounding traffic lights. At the same time, the photovoltaic glass roof can effectively block sunlight and rain, protect vehicles, and improve the use experience of the parking lot.
The roof of the expressway toll station can also "transform" into a power station. A highway toll station in Jiangsu laid 500 square meters of photovoltaic glass on its roof, with an annual power generation of about 60,000 kWh, which can meet the electricity needs of the toll station's office and equipment, reducing electricity expenses by more than 70,000 yuan annually. In addition, the weather resistance and impact resistance of photovoltaic glass enable it to adapt to the complex environment of expressways and reduce maintenance costs.
Public Facilities: "Low-Carbon Landmarks" of Stadiums and Exhibition Halls
Large public facilities such as stadiums and exhibition halls have the characteristics of large area and wide roof area, making them excellent scenarios for the application of photovoltaic glass. Through the application of photovoltaic glass, these buildings not only become "low-carbon landmarks" of the city, but also set an example of green life for the public.
The Bird's Nest, as a landmark building of the Beijing Olympic Games, adopted photovoltaic glass in some areas during the renovation. Although the area is not large, the annual power generation is about 80,000 kWh, providing power support for the venue's emergency lighting and weak current systems. At the same time, the application of photovoltaic glass has also made the Bird's Nest a benchmark for the low-carbon transformation of "dual-Olympic venues", conveying the concept of green Olympics to the public.
An exhibition hall in Shenzhen adopted a large area of photovoltaic glass on its roof and south facade, with a total area of 8,000 square meters and an annual power generation of about 960,000 kWh, which can meet 30% of the exhibition hall's electricity demand. This electricity is not only used for the exhibition hall's lighting, air conditioning and other systems, but also connected to the urban power grid through a microgrid to provide support for the power grid during peak electricity consumption, improving the stability of the power grid.
Conclusion
From family villas to commercial buildings, from agricultural greenhouses to transportation facilities, photovoltaic glass is exerting its unique advantage of "shading and generating electricity" and displaying its "low-carbon magic" in various scenarios. It not only changes the single attribute of traditional glass, but also reshapes people's perception of energy utilization - every piece of photovoltaic glass is a micro power station, and every application scenario is a microcosm of low-carbon life.
With the continuous progress of technology, the light transmittance, weather resistance and other performances of photovoltaic glass will be further improved, the cost will continue to decrease, and its application scenarios will continue to expand. In the context of global low-carbon transformation, photovoltaic glass is bound to become an important force in promoting the reform of energy structure and achieving the "dual carbon" goal, creating a more green and low-carbon future for mankind.
