Design and Optimization of Structural Colored Interlayers for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Applications

Building-integrated photovoltaics offer a significant increase in available surface area for photovoltaic (PV) modules, without the need for a new electricity infrastructure, making them a promising solution to fulfill the global energy demand in a green and renewable way. However, in addition to high power conversion efficiencies, PV modules for building integration also benefit from an aesthetically attractive design, which can be achieved by finetuning their color according to the architectural features of the building. This work explores in detail the structural coloration of silicon PV modules arising from the addition of a 1-dimensional thin multilayer structure to the interlayer between the glass substrate and the PV cell. Three different configurations, with varying degrees of periodicity, are considered and compared, to finally demonstrate the outstanding potential of employing optimization algorithms to obtain structural colored PV modules with a broader color gamut.