The product manufactured by Crosslux, Energlass glass panels, combines high thermal insulation with the capacity to produce electricity by the use of standard photovoltaic technologies, with a life span (20 to 25 years) compatible with building requirements.
The glazing may be double, triple or multilayer insulating glass, and in all configurations it produces electrical energy; the product includes a complete DC/AC conversion, wiring and storage system, manufactured under the control of Crosslux, enabling production levelling and direct connection to the mains network of the building.
Crosslux also supplies the computerised management system for solar power facilities formed by the glass panels, providing monitoring and real-time failure detection.
The aim of the project is to prototype the full system (glass panels and means of production of the glass, system for link-up to the network, monitoring system for the facility) for a reasonable size of panel, that is significantly larger than the laboratory dimensions in order to make it exploitable in small–scale housing development projects without requiring major investments in terms of production costs: the dimensions adopted are 60x120cm and the production target by the end of the project is several panels per day (3 to 5).
The consortium includes two SMEs (Crosslux, Mondragon Assembly) and two PACA region laboratories (CEA Cadarache, Im2np).
The project, which is funded under the APRF (Appel à Projet de Recherche Finalisée) call for projects and has a budget of 1.45 m euros, was launched in 2014 with the target of a pilot production line operational by 2017.
