Organic photovoltaics for energy efficiency in buildings

Abstract

Organic photovoltaics is now reaching a more mature stage and new applications are emerging to its direct use as active elements into buildings. This chapter illustrates the more recent developments of organic photovoltaic technology focussing on the description of semitransparent devices integrated into glazing systems for energy efficiency in buildings. It describes briefly the fundamental functioning principles of Hybrid and Organic (HOPV) devices that includes Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSC), polymeric cells as well as new emerging technologies, followed by a description of the actual studies carried on building integrated HOPV. Last section presents some showcases of HOPV integrated into buildings.