Energy flows invisibly from transparent glass, from the windows of our homes, of offices, shopping centers, directly to accumulators or for immediate use by any utility. This is the dream of anyone who respects the environment and is regardful about architectural impact.
Today this is possible due to a new extraordinary technological revolution called LSC – Luminescent Solar Concentrator that uses nanocrystals inserted into thin films or in plexiglass plates. The nanocrystals convert the sun’s light into infrared rays which are reflected inside the panel until it reached the edge. Here, a thin strip of silicon photovoltaic cells converts the infrared photons in electrical current with a high level of efficiency.
It seems like magic but it’s actually real!
When, a year ago (see MAIN News n. 19) we highlighted this technology as one of the most promising for the production of solar energy, we would never of thought, just one year on, that we would have succeeded in setting up a new Company capable of carrying out the industrial development of this invention of Professors Sergio Brovelli and Francesco Meinardi of the University of Milan Bicocca. One can consider this as magic at least as much as that of the technological revolution of the LSC!
Last September 28th, in front of the Magnificent Rector of the University of Milan Bicocca, Prof. Maria Cristina Messa, the company Glass to Power Srl was constituted with an initial capital of 300.000 € and a substantial group of shareholders.
Amongst these the financial company of the Industrie De Nora, world leader in electro-chemicals, the company Karma, Rome based Finance company of the Amodeo family, the Milan based company TEC specialized in energy efficiency projects, and various individual shareholders who believed immediately in this big adventure. 20% of the new company is held by Core, constituted equally between by the University, the two inventors and Management Innovation. The Management Board is made up of Prof. Francesco Meinardi, President, Dr. Emilio Sassone Corsi, CEO, Ing. Alberto Cominelli, CTO of Industrie De Nora, Dr. Rosario Amodeo, CEO and founder of Karma and Ing. Guido Massari, partner of TEC. Prof. Sergio Brovelli presides over the Scientific Committee of the new Company.
There is already a dense work program which will involve all the shareholders and will rapidly bring Glass to Power to develop the industrial prototype of the photovoltaic transparent window in a relatively short time.
This technology has been selected as a finalist of the R&D100 Award, the so called Oscar of Innovation and next November 3rd there will be the final awards in Washington. This is the first time for an Italian invention.
Recent European and International legislation on Zero Energy Building will allow Glass to Power to grow rapidly in the market with an innovative technology for the production of energy, environmentally friendly, low cost, safe .. and completely invisible!
On the 28th September a new big adventure began! Follow us!
