NEXT Energy Technologies is a U.S. clean technology company developing transparent solar coatings that turn ordinary architectural glass into electricity generating surfaces for commercial buildings. By embedding organic photovoltaic materials directly onto windows and facades, the company links energy generation with the physical structure of modern buildings, allowing developers and property owners to produce renewable electricity without sacrificing transparency or design integrity. This integration of power production into architectural glass reframes how urban buildings can participate in distributed energy generation.

Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, NEXT operates at the intersection of materials science and commercial construction. The company’s proprietary organic photovoltaic technology captures ultraviolet and infrared light while allowing most visible light to pass through. As the building generates electricity, occupants continue to receive natural daylight and unobstructed views. As cities confront higher energy demand and stricter efficiency standards, integrating generation directly into building envelopes offers an alternative to relying solely on rooftop solar arrays or remote power plants.

Solar Power Generated by Glass

NEXT’s solar coating uses carbon based semiconducting materials to absorb wavelengths of sunlight that conventional solar panels do not efficiently convert, turning that energy into electricity. The system draws power from portions of the solar spectrum that standard silicon panels leave largely unused. By converting ultraviolet and infrared light into electrical current, the transparent coatings enable glass surfaces to function as active energy generators rather than passive design elements. This selective absorption allows buildings to maintain visual clarity while harvesting solar energy across large facade areas.

Manufacturing relies on scalable processes such as slot die coating, which applies thin photovoltaic layers directly onto architectural glass. Because this technique aligns with existing glass fabrication methods, producers can integrate the coatings without overhauling factory infrastructure. Larger panel formats, including 40-inch by 60-inch transparent photovoltaic windows developed on the company’s pilot line, demonstrate that the technology is moving beyond laboratory samples and into commercially relevant dimensions suitable for curtain walls and office towers.

By increasing panel size and refining coating uniformity, NEXT has shown that photovoltaic glass can meet both performance expectations and architectural standards. Developers evaluating energy generating facades now have access to window units that resemble conventional insulating glass while also delivering measurable electrical output.

Demonstration Installations and Commercial Readiness

The company has progressed from pilot production to real world installations that test performance under everyday building conditions. At its Santa Barbara facility, NEXT installed a facade section composed of multiple transparent photovoltaic windows, creating one of the first building integrated organic photovoltaic installations of its scale. This demonstration provides operational data on durability, power output, and integration with standard framing systems, offering insight into how photovoltaic glass behaves once installed in a functioning structure.

Each insulating glass unit incorporates the organic photovoltaic coating within a laminated assembly that mirrors traditional commercial glazing configurations. By working with established suppliers for spacers, frames, and electrical components, NEXT ensures compatibility with industry standards while validating that the solar function does not compromise safety or structural integrity. These deployments serve as reference points for architects, engineers, and developers considering adoption in future projects.

Certification and compliance processes are advancing alongside these installations. Grid connectivity requirements and building codes necessitate rigorous testing, and the company is aligning product development with those regulatory pathways to support broader use in commercial construction.

Generating Onsite Electricity Through Building Envelopes

Once installed across a building’s facade, transparent photovoltaic glass produces electricity whenever sunlight reaches its surface. Over the span of a day, cumulative generation from dozens or hundreds of windows can offset a meaningful portion of a property’s energy consumption. Because the system captures wavelengths that do not interfere with interior lighting quality, energy production occurs without diminishing occupant comfort or visual experience.

The coatings also absorb portions of infrared radiation, which can reduce solar heat gain and lower cooling demand. As a result, buildings may experience lower loads on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems while simultaneously producing renewable power. This dual function links electricity generation with thermal performance, strengthening the business case for integrating solar capability directly into facade design.

Distributed generation through building envelopes allows property owners to produce electricity closer to the point of use. Rather than relying exclusively on centralized generation facilities, structures fitted with photovoltaic glass contribute to a more decentralized energy model that spreads production across urban surfaces.

Scaling With Conventional Glass Manufacturing

NEXT Energy Technologies is working with glass fabricators and construction partners to expand manufacturing capacity and integrate solar coatings into standard production lines. High speed coating systems enable photovoltaic layers to be deposited during routine glass fabrication, reducing the need for separate manufacturing streams. This alignment with established industrial practices supports cost control and accelerates movement toward larger volume output.

Public funding from federal and state programs has supported research, pilot manufacturing, and early deployment initiatives. These resources have facilitated the transition from experimental materials research to larger scale panel fabrication, reinforcing the pathway toward commercial supply agreements.

Research efforts continue to refine material efficiency, durability, and optical performance. Improvements in coating chemistry and deposition techniques seek to optimize electrical yield while preserving transparency, ensuring that photovoltaic glass meets both energy and architectural requirements.

As commercial buildings account for significant electricity consumption worldwide, integrating solar capability into glass surfaces represents an opportunity to expand renewable generation without altering urban form. By turning windows and facades into active contributors to onsite power production, NEXT Energy Technologies is redefining how buildings participate in energy systems. The company’s work suggests that future skylines may not only reflect sunlight but also convert it into usable electricity within the very materials that shape modern architecture.

Daniel Emmett, Co-Founder, Board Chair & Interim CEO, NEXT Energy Technologies