SolarBEAT, the outdoor test facility for BIPV

SolarBEAT supported company Solarge to develop its sustainable lightweight plastic solar panels and company Soluxa test coloured solar panels for application on building façades.

Another of SolarBEAT's partners is international glass manufacturer Pilkington. This company created a double-glazed BIPV window. Solar blinds are integrated in the front two layers. SolarBEAT is testing the yield of several variants of blinds, varying in colour and coating, solar cell technology and solar cell coverage.

In another project, TNO is working with several partners on alternative barrier films for solar cells. SolarBEAT tests these on small solar cells and compares lab results with outdoor measurements. However, the scalability of the hardware also enables precision measurements on smaller and larger solar cells. Here, we use measuring equipment developed by Dutch company ReRa Solutions.

For zero-emission buildings, buffering solar power and solar heat is crucial, as the sun doesn't always shine. That’s why we are also researching various storage systems. One example is the salt battery from Cellcius, a spin-off of TU/e and TNO.

Together with construction company Emergo, we are testing within a complete system, including heat pump and buffer vessels. In doing so, we simulate the use of an average household. This way, we help Cellcius optimise this battery to make it a commercial success.

To heat homes, we are increasingly moving away from using gas. As a result, the demand for heat pumps is rising. One innovative technique that we are developing and testing with partners is a heat exchanger integrated behind a solar panel, roof tile, under a terrace, or in the façade.

Another innovation we contributed to at our test facility is the SunSmart smart windows. The windows are equipped with a smart coating that regulates solar heat based on the temperature of the glass.

To test the performance of this coating, we installed two windows with the SunSmart coating and two standard windows in our facility. Over the course of a year, we measured the radiation passing through the windows.

The test results showed that it works: the thermochromic windows alternated between allowing and blocking heat (NIR radiation), depending on the temperature.

Thanks to the positive test results, receiving the Encouragement Award from the Glass Award 2025, and feedback from potential customers, the technology is being prepared for the European market as an independent company in 2025.