Structural and aesthetic design applications of flexible, thin-film solar cells to power off-grid tensile structures

Abstract

Despite global trends in decreasing costs of silicon-based solar panels, the adoption of solar energy solutions as an alternative to fossil fuels has been impeded by high installation and manufacturing costs, as well as challenges in the customization of solar panels for different products and environments. Moreover, silicon-based photovoltaic cells, due to their rigid nature, change the aesthetic of the surfaces on which they are placed and often only provide the singular function of harvesting energy. The current solar energy products function independently from the architecture on which they are installed, making them difficult to blend in with the design and functional requirements of the products and buildings on which they are installed. Fundamentally, the installation costs associated with silicon crystalline PV cells account for a significant percentage of solar energy solutions. This thesis aims to push the boundaries of solar panels to provide the dual functionality of energy harvesting and architectural structure, while either maintaining or improving the aesthetics of the architecture on which they are placed. To achieve this, this research explores a new use case for flexible thin-cell solar panels that includes the use of organic photovoltaic (OPV) and perovskite solar cell technology. Through a product-design approach, this thesis explores use cases where the technology's uniquely-flexible, ultra-thin, lightweight, and low-cost key features are best applied as a solar energy source. Particularly, this research focuses on off-grid architecture with non-rigid roofing structures where fossil fuels are currently used as the primary energy source. Through design research and stakeholder interviews, a key insight that was uncovered was the opportunity to integrate flexible OPV solar cells in glamping and luxury safari camp as an alternative to the current option of diesel fuel. This achieves the goal of providing a clean energy source while maintaining the aesthetic of the luxury camp and the outdoor safari experience.