A photovoltaic 'pavement', due to reach the market later this year, has been developed by building PV systems company Onyx Solar in collaboration with Butech, the special materials subsidiary of tiling specialist Porcelanosa. Made from a solar PV glass integrated over elevated ceramic, it can be walked on or have furnishing placed upon it, so saving the space that conventional photovoltaics would use.
Onyx says the 'PV pavement' is an appealing product to architects as it can be integrated into any project and environment without renouncing design and aestheticism. What is more, it combines passive elements (avoiding CO2 emissions) with active elements (power generation) to reduce a building's impact on the environment.
Butech previously collaborated with Onyx Solar on a ventilated PV façade which uses solar energy to provide electricity in buildings and offices. The PV facade is already available and being installed in projects all over the world.
