Brilliant Matters, HeiQ plan to commercialize 12%-efficient semi-transparent organic solar cells

A group of companies in Canada, Switzerland, and Germany has built a new kind of solar cell that is see-through and flexible, rather than the rigid, opaque panels most people picture on a roof. These "semi-transparent organic solar cells" reached efficiencies of up to 12% in lab tests, and a small printed module made of several cells connected together hit just over 10%. The companies involved are Brilliant Matters, HeiQ, and a German research group called Solar Factory.

Because the material lets light through while still generating electricity, it is aimed less at traditional rooftops and more at things like windows, greenhouse panels, and other building surfaces where you still want natural light to pass in. One of the developers said he expects the technology to be commercially available in 2028, with an estimated cost under $150 per square meter, a price they expect to drop further as demand grows.

For now, this is early-stage technology still being tested with customers, not something available to install on a home today. But it points to a future where solar generation could be built into glazing or glass surfaces on a house, rather than added only as separate rooftop panels. If this kind of product does reach the market around 2028, it could offer homeowners another option for adding solar-generated power to parts of a house, like windows or sunrooms, where conventional opaque panels do not make sense.