2005
Development of solar cells that admit light and can be used as building materials for windows

Leading the way in new possibilities of the use of photovoltaic modules as building materials, four types of light-admitting photovoltaic modules, with an emphasis on architectural design, were developed. Photovoltaic modules which until now had been installed on top of buildings and roofs were now integrated with building materials as glass curtain walls for buildings. These were sold under the slogan of “Promoting architectural design and planning: solar cells provide a space that is pleasant and filled with light.” In particular, the layered glass crystalline module can be made in sizes up to 2,400 mm x 4,500 mm, the largest in the world.