Researchers from Kyung Hee University and the Hyundai Motor Group have announced the successful creation of tunable, full-color solar windows that don’t compromise transparency or energy generation when compared with traditional solar window coloring and tinting methods.
The research team behind the process said it is readily transferable to existing thin-film photovoltaics, leading to possible applications in highly efficient full-color solar windows for buildings and vehicles, and in transparent color form factors for wearable electronics.
Full-Color Solar Windows Are Typically Less Efficient at Energy Generation
According to a statement announcing the team’s work, urban architects are “increasingly seeking” solar windows that deliver aesthetic value as well as energy generation. They also note that this demand is expected to increase as cities become taller, denser, and more “energy hungry.”
However, the study authors write, “existing color-engineering strategies rely on absorptive metal layers or lack control over the achievable colors.” Specifically, these options also typically come in a reddish-brown color.
The study authors note that “this color cast is often undesirable in architectural and interior settings, where neutral or specific preset colors are preferred for visual comfort.” The addition of absorptive coloring layers also renders existing solar windows less efficient than fully transparent options, limiting their acceptance in architecture, automotive design, and consumer electronics.
Still, the research team explained, integrating solar energy generation directly onto building surfaces and vehicles “provides a powerful and space-efficient solution to the climate crisis.” Windows, they also note, “represent a vast but underused opportunity for urban energy harvesting.”
AI Unlocks Full-Color Tunability Without Compromising Energy Output
To create solar windows in different colors without compromising energy generation, the researchers explored different window coatings. To avoid absorption from typical glass coating options, the team developed a custom coating using transparent dielectrics. The researchers note that such additives are similar to those used in “high-quality optical devices.”
After the team employed an “AI-guided inverse-design” model to help determine which coatings could offer which color options with minimal energy absorptions, they landed on a viable formula.
“Here, we present a modelling-guided inverse design strategy that integrates an all-dielectric (ZnS/MgF2) multilayer into semitransparent perovskite photovoltaics, enabling user-defined colors with minimal spectral loss,” the study authors write.
In tests, their new approach created tunable, full-color solar windows in green, red, cyan, magenta, and gray. More importantly, the team reported that these colored windows actually increased power generation “by up to 20%.”
“Importantly, these coatings not only improve appearance but also increase the amount of electricity generated, rather than compromising performance,” they explained. “This means that solar windows no longer have to be a trade-off between beauty and function.”
Expanding Renewable Energy Adoption Without Forcing Compromises in Design
When discussing the versatility of their dielectric coatings, the team noted that it works on rigid glass and flexible plastic, “showing its potential for real-world use in diverse settings.” They also note that the ability to offer different colors in consumer products that generate energy, as well as offer aesthetic value, “could transform how solar energy is integrated into daily life.”
“This approach is readily transferable to other thin film photovoltaics, providing a versatile route toward color customizable, transmittance-tunable, and high-efficiency solar windows for buildings, vehicles, and wearable electronics,” the study authors write.
For example, architects could employ solar windows that match their designs. Similarly, vehicle manufacturers could incorporate solar surfaces into vehicles without compromising their overall appearance.
“By making solar technology more adaptable, attractive, and practical, this work supports global efforts toward net-zero cities, sustainable construction, and decentralized clean energy generation,” the team’s statement explains. “It offers a realistic pathway to expanding renewable energy adoption without forcing compromises in design, comfort, or user experience, an essential step toward carbon-neutral urban environments.”
The study “Modelling-guided inverse design strategy for semitransparent perovskite photovoltaics with customized colors” was published in Opto-Electronic Advances.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.