Oxford Photovoltaics (a commercial spin-off of Oxford University) has developed building glass in multiple colors that can generate solar electricity.

The glass is essentially a solar panel that can turn the entire building into a PV solar generator at very little extra cost – the building would require glass anyway.

Oxford Photovoltaics has added a layer of transparent colored organic solar cell materials to conventional glass.  The solar glass can be almost any color; however, the efficiency varies depends on which one you choose.  Black, as in typical solar panels, has the highest efficiency.

The additional cost of a solar glass building with this technology would be no greater than 10% of typical glass building façades. It’s believed that the solar glass could eventually replace conventional solar PV in glass buildings.