Modules in gold, silver and bronze will also be available from Megasol Energie. Up to now, this has meant considerable losses in efficiency. With Morphocolor colour technology, there is now an alternative on the market that continues to deliver at least 90 per cent of the output compared to an uncoated module. This innovative technology also opens up completely new possibilities for the protection of historical monuments.
What is behind it?
The Morphocolor colour layer is a photonic structure in which an interference layer is combined with a geometrically structured substrate in such a way that a particularly narrow-band reflection maximum results. Since only small parts of the light spectrum are reflected, the remaining sunlight can pass through undisturbed.
See also: New development of a solar heat collector for facades
Megasol Energie is a Swiss manufacturer of solar modules and photovoltaic systems, especially for the segment of building-integrated PV. The Swiss combine the new colour scheme with other design dimensions. For example, the glass surfaces and structures can be freely selected. Furthermore, different sizes and shapes can be produced. "A solar module with Solarcolor Morpho colouring achieves up to 94 per cent of the efficiency compared to a conventionally black solar module," says Megasol spokesman Michael Reist.
Butterfly as inspiration
"The inspiration for the special colour structure was the Morpho butterfly, whose intense blue wings create a colour impression that is stable over a wide range of angles," explains Thomas Kroyer, co-inventor and developer of the technology at Fraunhofer ISE. A variety of colours can be realised by this technology and at the same time a large part of the solar radiation continues to be transmitted through the module glass. "The underlying solar cells are barely visible, if at all." (nhp/mfo)
Also have a look at our section of building-integrated photovoltaics!
