How to choose the transmittance of cadmium telluride solar glass? Compare the power and performance of 0%, 20% and 40%!

2025/8/30 13:51:06 admin 阅读 171【次】

Are you considering using solar-generating glass for a sunroom, curtain wall, or factory roof? Are you unsure about the light transmittance? Opting for opaque glass might make the room look too dark and warehouse-like, but choosing high-transmittance glass might also worry about insufficient power generation and a slow payback period? Don't worry! This article will use Zoom Solar Green Energy Technology's CdTe solar glass as a reference. We'll compare three popular CdTe solar glass options with 0%, 20%, and 40% transmittance, focusing on power per square meter, actual visual performance, applicable scenarios, and advantages and disadvantages to help you easily choose the best option!

Technical Principle: Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a highly efficient thin-film solar material deposited on glass to generate electricity. Transmittance is achieved through precisely controlled laser etching or chemical/physical film removal processes. The transmittance of CdTe solar glass is inversely proportional to its power generation efficiency—higher transmittance indicates lower efficiency, while lower transmittance indicates higher efficiency.

Key parameters at a glance!

Detailed explanation of each item!

0% Transparency: Ultimate Power Generation, Cost-Effective

What Does It Look Like When Installed?

When installed on a roof, it's like adding a completely opaque roof panel; when installed on a wall, it creates a solid wall that generates electricity. The area below will be darkened, making it unsuitable for spaces that require natural light.

Applications: Optimize land/rooftop utilization and minimize power generation costs, such as in building interlayers and solid shear walls, where power generation is possible without sacrificing functionality.

Key Advantages: Highest power generation capacity per square meter (>150W), typically resulting in the fastest return on investment. Excellent waterproofing, suitable for roofs requiring high airtightness.

Note: Natural light is sacrificed, making it suitable only for applications where lighting below is not necessary.

20% Transparency: The perfect balance, suitable for both home and commercial use.

What Does It Look Like When Installed?

When installed on a sunroom roof, the light is soft, comfortable, and not glaring, so even on sunny days, it won't feel too hot or too sunny. You can see the blue sky and white clouds outside, along with the general outline, but details are blurred (providing privacy). Excellent insulation, reducing air conditioning energy consumption.

Applications: Suitable for sunrooms that require power generation, comfortable lighting, and cool/warm winters; areas such as corridors and atrium skylights that require both natural light and energy self-sufficiency; and areas requiring controlled light intensity, such as community photovoltaic carports and agricultural greenhouses.

Key Advantages: It strikes an optimal balance between power generation (~115W/㎡), natural light experience, and thermal insulation and energy savings, making it the ideal choice for most scenarios requiring both functionality and comfort.

Note: Power generation is lower than 0%, resulting in slightly higher costs, but the trade-off is irreplaceable comfort and functionality.

40% Transparency: A transparent aesthetic, ideal for facades.

What does it look like when installed?

When installed on a building facade, it creates a visual effect similar to high-end dark glass curtain walls, allowing ample indoor light and providing a clearer view of the outdoors (brighter than 20% transparency). It maintains the building's airy and modern feel while providing continuous power generation.

Suitable for office buildings, shopping malls, and public buildings requiring aesthetically pleasing, transparent, and technologically advanced facades while also embodying green principles; or spaces requiring exceptionally high levels of natural light (such as exhibition halls and demanding sunroom viewing areas) where a willingness to sacrifice some power generation for transparency is desirable.

Core Advantages: Highest architectural aesthetic value, achieving a perfect visual integration of photovoltaic power generation with glass curtain walls/skylights. Maintains excellent thermal insulation (~85W/㎡).

Note: Its power generation efficiency is the lowest of the three options, resulting in the highest unit cost. Choosing this option primarily addresses the core needs of high light transmittance and aesthetics.

Three steps to choosing your optimal light transmittance

1. What is your primary goal?

Maximum power generation & lowest cost? → Choose 0% without hesitation (factory roofs, large power plants).

Comfortable lighting & balanced functionality? → Choose 20% (ideal for sunrooms, skylights, and corridors).

Architectural aesthetics & transparency are paramount? → Use 40% (for high-end curtain walls and areas with high lighting requirements).

2. Where to install?

Roofs/walls not requiring daylighting: Prioritize 0% or 20% (depending on whether light is needed in the space below).

Facade curtain walls/high-lighting roofs: Prioritize 20% or 40% (depending on the level of transparency required).

3. Consider cost-effectiveness

Although 0% provides the highest power generation and the lowest cost, it lacks daylighting. While 20% and 40% provide less power generation and a higher unit price, they provide daylighting, provide greater comfort, enhance the quality and value of the space, and potentially offer higher overall benefits.

Conclusion

CdTe solar glass with different transmittances has its own advantages and characteristics for different photovoltaic application scenarios. Choosing the transmittance of CdTe solar glass is essentially about finding the optimal balance between power generation performance, comfortable daylighting/architectural aesthetics, and project cost. The scientific configuration of power-generating glass with varying transmittances not only maximizes solar energy utilization but also transforms the building into a work of art that integrates functionality, beauty, and sustainability. Zhongmao Green Energy's cadmium telluride power-generating glass offers options of 0%, 20%, and 40% transmittance, with numerous advantages waiting to be unlocked. Feel free to leave us a message for inquiries!

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How to choose the transmittance of cadmium telluride solar glass? Compare the power and performance of 0%, 20% and 40%!

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