PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY CAN ALSO BE BEAUTIFUL

PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY CAN ALSO BE BEAUTIFUL. VERY BEAUTIFUL!

 

Bursagaz, one of the main companies in the natural gas sector in Turkey, has opted for integrating Onyx Solar^®’s photovoltaic glass in its new headquarters, which has obtained the LEED Gold certification.

 

Onyx Solar^® has provided the building with a touch of originality by integrating a double skin of photovoltaic glass in the form of a mosaic, which is superimposed on the façade. The 315 amorphous silicon glass modules, measuring 500 mm x 700 mm, have a degree of transparency of 20% (L vision), enabling the uniform passage of light into the building and thus reducing the need for artificial lighting, as well as filtering out harmful UV and IR radiation.

This is a 4.1 kWp installation, generating approximately 3,400 kWh per year, to be used for building’s self-consumption, preventing the release of CO₂ as well as other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

THE FIRST PHOTOVOLTAIC FAÇADE OF MEXICO IS ALREADY GENERATING ITS OWN ELECTRICITY

The project was carried out using one of the most innovative and ecological techniques in the world, Onyx Solar’s photovoltaic glass.

Onyx Solar undertook the installation of their photovoltaic glasses through retrofitting onto the façade of Femsa’s headquarter in Monterrey, the largest bottle manufacturer for Coca-Cola in the world. After its installation of Onyx Solar’s photovoltaic glass, the building has been beneficing with over 5,500 kWh while also eliminating CO2 emission by 2.7 tons. This project is in conjunction with the commitment of Femsa and Coca-Cola for sustainability and corporate responsibility.

The façade consists of a double layer of photovoltaic glass, being the first of its kind in Latin America. The photovoltaic glass modules are made of amorphous silicon technology and in large dimensions. They were designed and manufactured by Onyx Solar to meet each customer´s needs. Furthermore, the purpose was to provide privacy of the interior space while preserving the original aesthetic value of the building. The glasses have a semi-transparency degree of 20% which allows the entry of natural light into the interior, reducing the need for use of artificial lighting and improving the indoor comfort for the occupants.

By using Onyx Solar’s photovoltaic glass on façades buildings improve its thermal properties. For example,  Onyx Solar’s  photovoltaic low-e glass in warm climates such as Mexico, reduce up to 50% cooling needs compared to a traditional façade insulation, allowing large energy savings. Click  here to download the summary of this research carried out by University of Pais Vasco in collaboration with the Building’s Quality Control Laboratories of the Regional Government.

About Femsa

FEMSA is a leading company in the beverage industry, being the largest Coca-Cola bottle manufacturer in the world and the second largest stakeholder of Heineken. The company has 64 bottling plants and serves more than 346 million consumers through nearly 3 million retailers with more than 120,000 employees worldwide. In addition, the company is part of the Forbes Global 2000 list: the ranking of the 2000 largest companies in the world.

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THE BLACK BOX, AN ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING

Onyx Solar’s headquarters in Avila, counts on a brand new photovoltaic ventilated façade which makes it one of the most efficient office buildings in the region

This new photovoltaic façade is comprised of amorphous silicon glass which is available in the market starting at $4.98/Sqft or 39€sqm, turning it into a highly competitive building material.

Particularly, a combination between opaque photovoltaic glass together with 20% light transmittance glass has been chosen, enhancing the overall energy generation while allowing natural light into the building; this way, artificial lighting needs decrease while the inner comfort for the occupants is enhanced.

Besides the electricity generation which is used to feed part of the building needs, the expenses in HVAC systems have decreased thanks to the thermal insulation that the photovoltaic glass offers, compared to a traditional ventilated façade.

According to research carried out by Pais Vasco’s University together with the Building’s Quality Control Laboratories of that Regional Government, the thermal insulation that this photovoltaic glass entail allows the building to save up to 50% of its energy needs. For further details, please click here.