Presentation Details
| Lenticular-based colorful solar panel exhibiting >90% energy retention Fahad Mateen1, Songtao Wu1, Brian Woods2, Debasish Banerjee1. 1Toyota Research Institute of North America, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.2Toyota Motors North America, Saline, MI, USA |
Abstract
The integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems into built environments is essential for achieving carbon neutrality. Conventional PV modules face limitations due to their uniform dark appearance, restricting their adoption in architecturally sensitive applications. In this work, a lenticular-based PV system is proposed to enable colorful and image-displaying PV modules while maintaining high energy retention. The system consists of custom-fabricated lenticular lens sheet positioned above PV panel with an intermediate patterned film placed between them. This film contains alternating image bands and transparent bands, where the image bands encode graphical content and the transparent regions allow direct transmission of sunlight towards PV layer. Outdoor experiments using a two-panel configuration were conducted to evaluate energy generating performance before and after lenticular integration. The results show that the proposed system maintains high energy retention (above 90%) under real world conditions. Also, time-resolved analysis indicates slight performance improvements during low solar elevation periods, attributed to reduced reflection losses and enhanced angular redistribution of light. Overall, the proposed system demonstrates a practical pathway for combining aesthetic functionality with efficient solar energy harvesting, enabling applications in BIPVs, advertising panels, and energy-generating display surfaces.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.