Ultra-large Size Power Generation Glass BIPV Application: The "Golden Rule" of Design Splicing

Cadmium Telluride power generation glass shines brilliantly in fields such as translucent photovoltaic curtain walls, skylights, and shading due to its unique advantages. However, as projects demand larger areas of translucent power generation glass, mastering the skill of cleverly splicing ultra-large translucent power generation glass—balancing aesthetics, efficiency, cost, and safety—has become a key competency for BIPV industry practitioners.

 

 

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From "Compact and Exquisite" to "Magnificent and Grand"

A New Chapter in Splicing Ultra-large Cadmium Telluride Power Generation Glass

 

Currently, the cadmium telluride power generation glass substrate (3.2mm glass coated with cadmium telluride power generation film) has a maximum single piece size of 1215*2300mm . However, in actual projects, to meet architectural design demands for larger areas—for example, a translucent photovoltaic curtain wall project requiring a single piece of power generation glass to reach 3600mm in length—splicing of the power generation glass substrate is necessary.

Diagram of 1215*2300mm Cadmium Telluride Power Generation Glass Substrate © Longyan Energy. The main issues caused by splicing include:

• Aesthetic Impact : Splicing inevitably creates seams that affect the overall visual effect.
• Increased Cost : Splicing requires additional processing and installation costs.
• Direction Selection : The choice of splicing direction affects aesthetics and material utilization.

For example: Imagine you are tiling a wall. If the tile size is insufficient, splicing is needed. The seams affect aesthetics. Also, random splicing may waste many tiles.

Illustration of seam effect on translucent cadmium telluride power generation glass

How to overcome these challenges and make splicing an art rather than a regret? The key lies in understanding the "character" of the power generation glass substrate and reasonably planning the splicing direction. 1215*2300mm sized cadmium telluride power generation glass substrates have current bars distributed on both sides along the 2300mm direction. Therefore, to maximize aesthetic effect and reduce material waste, it is recommended to splice along the 2300mm direction. In this way, we can easily achieve "giant" power generation glass sizes of 1215*3600mm or even 1215*4600mm. Imagine on a 3600mm high glass curtain wall, the splicing seam is hidden in a position not easily noticed by the human eye, resulting in a smooth and unified overall visual effect.

 

 

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Integrating Standards, Meticulous Craftsmanship

Splicing Considerations in Ultra-large Size Power Generation Glass Product Design
When designing and splicing ultra-large power generation glass, we must not act recklessly but follow authoritative industry standards to ensure project safety and quality. The "Technical Specification for Glass Curtain Wall Engineering" (JGJ 102-2003) clearly states: "The segmentation of glass curtain wall facades should be compatible with the indoor space layout and should not hinder indoor functions and visuals. " This tells us that glass segmentation design is not only an aesthetic expression of the building facade but also must coordinate with interior space functions. At the same time, "When determining glass panel sizes, the utilization of original glass sheets should be effectively improved, and the processing capacity of equipment such as tempering, coating, and lamination should be accommodated." This emphasizes that processing limitations and material economy must be fully considered during the design phase. The "Technical Specification for Building Cadmium Telluride Thin Film Photovoltaic Systems" (T/CECS 1881-2025) recommends: "Building designs should preferably use standard-sized cadmium telluride photovoltaic modules." Although today we discuss "ultra-large sizes," the specification's recommendation to "prefer standard sizes" highlights the economy and ease of use of standard sizes. When splicing is unavoidable, optimization should be based on standard sizes to the greatest extent.

Translucent cadmium telluride power generation glass being installed

 

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Strategic Planning, Leveraging the Situation

Determining BIPV Layout Design Principles Based on the above, in actual BIPV project layout design, we need to flexibly apply the following principles according to the project's specific conditions: "Adhere to" building segmentation, striving for "zero" regrets. If the original building curtain wall segmentation is unchangeable, our design must strictly follow the original building segmentation for layout design. At this time, if the project has very high requirements for translucency, especially needing high-transmittance components, the aesthetic impact caused by splicing must be fully communicated with the client in advance, even providing samples for their reference to gain understanding and approval. "Unlock" building segmentation, pursuing "full" benefits. When building segmentation can be adjusted, we have greater design freedom. Under the premise of meeting relevant standards, our principle is "standard size components (1215*2300mm) should be fully utilized." That is, prioritize using standard size components and achieve maximum power generation area coverage and optimized material utilization through clever splicing combinations. "Fine-tune" building segmentation, balancing "accuracy" and "completeness." For building segmentation allowing fine adjustments, our recommendation is to ensure that the single-side dimension of power generation glass components is the size of the standard component in principle. This not only maximizes the efficiency of standard production but also largely avoids waste and potential quality risks caused by non-standard size cutting.

The longest size of photovoltaic shading power generation glass at Hangzhou National Pavilion reaches 4500mm

 

 

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"Modular" Essence, Design Foundation

Why Emphasize Modular Design?

 

Some may ask, why emphasize "modular design" so much? Behind this lies profound commercial and technical logic: Maximize power generation efficiency, driving "full capacity" power generation Non-modular designs often lead to significant cutting and assembly waste. A carefully designed piece of glass may require extensive cutting because it cannot match the module size, which not only reduces the effective power generation area but also weakens the overall system's power generation efficiency. Ensuring structural safety and reliability, building a "safety wall" Buildings are carriers of life, and safety is an eternal theme. Splicing of non-standard sizes Especially in complex curtain wall systems, may introduce unpredictable uncertainties which pose potential threats to the long-term safety and reliability of the curtain wall system. Modular design can minimize these uncertainties. Optimizing cost and schedule, accelerating the "green" process by following modular design means we can achieve factory standardization and mass production. This not only significantly reduces the production cost of each power-generating glass panel but also effectively controls the total processing time of the product, allowing green building projects to take root more quickly. Realizing design intent, painting a "harmonious" picture Modular design is not a constraint but a guide. It encourages designers to deeply understand the modular dimensions of power-generating glass, enabling more precise facade segmentation, proportion refinement, and detail handling. When the size of the power-generating glass harmonizes with the overall "language" of the building, we can truly achieve "integrating light into architecture," creating architectural masterpieces that are both efficient and beautiful, rather than leaving "design regrets" due to size limitations. The emergence of ultra-large power-generating glass brings infinite possibilities to the BIPV field. But like any great innovation, it requires careful design and rigorous execution. By understanding the secrets of its splicing, following design principles, and embracing the modular concept, we can perfectly infuse the energy of power-generating glass into every inch of the building envelope, writing a new chapter in green building!