Kromatix glass is obtained by combining two different surface treatments: the deposition by vacuum plasma process of a coloured nano-scaled multilayered treatment applied to the inner side of the glass; and the modification of the glazing outer surface. These processes can prevent glare effects and hide the technical components of photovoltaic or thermal panels, the company said.
Moreover, thermal and photovoltaic panels equipped with Kromatix coloured glass reportedly produce the same energy as traditional panels, with negligible loss of efficiency.
“Thanks to more than ten years of research and development, of effective collaboration between EPFL and SwissINSO and investments amounting to several million euros, we have developed a coloured glass whose performance is almost equal [to] traditional glass. It is a real technological breakthrough in the field of solar panels,” said Professor Jean-Louis Scartezzini, director of the Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory at EPFL.
"This new technology allowing the manufacture of solar panels in a wide range of colours, opens new perspectives and a new paradigm in terms of architectural design and, of course, energy savings," said Rafic Hanbali, CEO of SwissINSO.
Kromatix is available in blue, green, terracotta, grey and yellow and is applicable to surfaces of all types of residential or commercial building.