Santa Barbara, California – NEXT Energy Technologies announced a significant manufacturing milestone on February 11, 2025, revealing the production of the world’s largest transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) windows. By upgrading its pilot production line, the company is now capable of producing 40” x 60” laminated, power-generating windows, signaling a major leap forward in integrating renewable energy into architectural design.
A New Scale as NEXT Energy Unveils World’s Largest Transparent OPV Windows
This achievement is the direct result of scaling up the company’s automated slot-die coating process. This advanced manufacturing technique applies NEXT’s proprietary organic semiconducting materials—which are earth-abundant and low-cost—onto the glass. The result is a neutral grey coating that seamlessly matches the aesthetic of most modern commercial building facades, addressing a key challenge for widespread adoption: visual appeal. The technology, rooted in Nobel Prize-winning research from UC Santa Barbara, successfully merges aesthetics, performance, and scalable manufacturing.
Transforming Buildings with NEXT Energy Unveils World’s Largest Transparent OPV Windows
NEXT’s transparent OPV windows are designed to transform static building envelopes into active energy assets. These smart facades can generate clean electricity on-site, potentially offsetting 20% to 25% of a typical commercial building’s energy requirements. In addition to producing power, the windows absorb and convert infrared light, which helps reduce the thermal load on the building. This dual function decreases the strain on HVAC systems and improves overall energy efficiency, pushing structures closer to net-zero energy goals.
The innovation has captured the attention of the architecture community. Andy Cohen, co-chairman of the global architecture firm Gensler, lauded the technology’s potential. “The combination of high-quality aesthetics, power generation and supply chain integration is a game changer,” Cohen stated. His firm previously showcased NEXT’s smaller 27” x 35” windows, and the new, larger format opens the door for more ambitious sustainable building projects.
Path to Commercialization of NEXT Energy Unveils World’s Largest Transparent OPV Windows
With this production capability now proven, NEXT Energy is focusing on commercial deployment. The company is actively working to secure UL safety and performance certification for grid-connected applications while preparing for demonstration projects with partners across the United States and Europe.
“This milestone proves that our combination of OPV coatings and advanced manufacturing processes is working, scaling and can be rapidly deployed,” said Daniel Emmett, co-founder, executive chairman and CEO of NEXT. “It builds confidence in our path to enabling full-scale commercial production.” NEXT continues to invite collaboration from architects, developers, and building owners to accelerate the integration of its technology into the built environment.
Sources
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