*Market statistics provided by GlobeNewswire (source)

The Future is Clear™ with ClearPower™

Stellaris Corporation is developing ClearPower™, a transparent, solar electricity-generating window technology designed to decrease or eliminate building emissions of greenhouse gasses from the use of fossil fuels for space heating. 

As one of the first Building Integrated Photovoltaic Windows (BIPV) capable of providing both substantial power output as well as high transparency, ClearPower™ is positioned to be a powerful tool for electrifying buildings and reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. It is especially well suited for buildings in dense urban areas without sufficient space for solar or wind energy installations.

*The above clip features a ClearPower™ prototype. Product is not currently available for commercial use.

ClearPower™ is the culmination of more than fifteen years of work by Stellaris Corporation to address the urgent need for a way for buildings to generate their own clean electricity. Now, with testing from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) corroborating our technology's performance and support for ClearPower's promising developments from international glass manufacturers, Stellaris is working towards an official commercial launch. 

Buildings Are Among the Largest Emitters of Greenhouse Gasses

In 2020, the United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that buildings emit more greenhouse gasses than the transportation or power generation sectors. Buildings still rely heavily on fossil fuels for heating, yet as pressure mounts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many buildings, especially high-rise buildings, are left with limited options for obtaining green electricity to replace fossil fuels for heating. The need for so many buildings to have a source of clean electricity has created an urgent need for new clean electricity technology to enable buildings to self generate green electricity.

Existing photovoltaic windows have gained little traction due to their high cost, low power, and/or their lack of transparency. ClearPower™ addresses all of these issues with a power output approaching that of traditional high-efficiency, opaque photovoltaic (PV) modules, all while maintaining high transparency.

ClearPower™ Will Be Able to Power Buildings’ All-electric Heating and Air Conditioning

ClearPower™ solar photovoltaic windows use narrow photovoltaic cells embedded in a window glazing. Due to the small size and orientation of the cells, ClearPower™ maintains high transparency while its unique design enables the production of up to 5 times more power than other "clear" BIPV windows. Its electrical output approaches that of a conventional high-efficiency, opaque PV module. ClearPower™ can be used as building windows while generating greenhouse gas-free electricity to power the building’s heating and cooling needs.

The integrated high-efficiency solar cells act as louvers, blocking high-angle sunlight which reduces air conditioning loads. This is a significant additional energy-saving benefit.

Stellaris plans to develop high-speed, automated manufacturing for the ClearPower™ PV panels, which we will then outsource to contract manufacturers. This scalable, low capital approach will allow us to avoid the expense of building our own facilities while retaining the ownership of the high value technology assets by patent and trade secret protection.

Rapid Market Growth Expected as Pressure to Eliminate Emissions Increases

Around the country, laws are being passed by cities and states requiring both existing and new buildings to drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating the use of fossil fuels for space heating, while building codes are prohibiting new natural gas hook-ups and requiring the inclusion of renewables for new buildings. With target dates for these ambitious goals only a few years away, many building owners and managers are feeling the pressure to find a solution.

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Spurred by these regulations, the global market for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) windows is expected to grow substantially (16.0% CAGR) and is projected to reach $13B by 2028. Sized at $4.6B in 2021, Stellaris sees the nearly 3x market growth projection as validation of our technology's role within this renewable energy push.

Stellaris is targeting new construction and replacement markets both domestically and internationally for large-insulated glass windows, especially high-rise buildings with curtain-wall construction. We also see an immediate benefit for related applications such as clear railings and clear barriers. 

Stellaris is Garnering Industry Support for Our Promising Technology

We are truly excited about the latest iteration of our ClearPower™ design, as it’s already beyond what we hoped for when it comes to transparency, appearance, and performance - and other industry organizations share this sentiment.  

Major glass manufacturers have shared their support for the ClearPower™ product due to its high transparency and power output per unit area, one citing it as a "promising technology" for the BIPV industry. Additionally, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has conducted independent tests of the ClearPower™ product that have corroborated Stellaris’s own performance testing. 

Stellaris currently holds three patents for photovoltaic device technology with additional patents pending, in addition to the extensive know-how and trade secrets we have learned over 15 years of developing solar equipment. During this time, Stellaris also became a national first prize winner of the Cleantech Open, the world’s largest clean technology accelerator program. 

An Exciting, New Technology Made to Address Climate Change

Stellaris believes ClearPower™ can play a critical role in the fight against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As many building owners are facing legally mandated deadlines to decarbonize their buildings and regulations that require termination of the use of oil and gas for building space heating, we feel the timing is perfect for the introduction of our ClearPower™ solar photovoltaic window into the market. 

Funds raised from this campaign will be used to continue refining our product for commercial production, develop automated assembly procedures, manufacture and install ClearPower™ at test and beta sites, and continue to test the performance and durability of the product and to make continuous improvements in the product’s design and efficiency.

With help from the StartEngine community, we are determined to make Stellaris Corporation a go-to provider of clear, electricity-generating window components. Invest today in a scalable, cost-effective technology and join us as we seek to make a worldwide impact.

*The above windows shown are not BIPV windows and were not developed by Stellaris Corporation.