Maximizing Solar Energy Utilization through Multicriteria Pareto Optimization of Energy Harvesting and Regulating Smart Windows

Chen Wang, Shuangcheng Yu, Xiaoru Guo, Tucker Kearney, Peijun Guo, Robert Chang, Junhong Chen*, Wei Chen*, Cheng Sun*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Windows play a crucial role in regulating solar energy exchange with a building, while supporting many essential functions, including natural daylighting, ventilation, and visual contact with the outside. These distinct functions often make complex and sometimes conflicting demands of solar energy. Here, we report a multicriteria Pareto optimization approach to obtain optimal balance of the energy-harvesting and energy-regulating functions for a smart window device. The optimal design is validated experimentally using a nanofabricated prototyping smart window device, which comprises a semi-transparent perovskite solar cell and an aperiodic multilayer nanophotonic coating. Based on experimental characterization of the prototype, calculations using EnergyPlus project an annual energy savings of 13,560 kWh or 187% over a chromogenic smart window for a 2,000-ft2 single-story residential building located in Phoenix, Arizona. The reported multicriteria optimization and the nanophotonic device architecture offer promising solutions for the efficient utilization of solar energy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number100108
JournalCell Reports Physical Science
Volume1
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 22 2020

Keywords

  • aperiodic nanophotonic coating
  • energy harvesting
  • energy regulating
  • multicriteria Pareto optimization
  • semi-transparent perovskite solar cell
  • smart window

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Engineering(all)
  • Energy(all)
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)
  • Chemistry(all)
  • Materials Science(all)

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