Location: Cornwall
Product: Polysolar PS-CT transparent photovoltaic glass
Installer partner: 123V Plc
System size: 1.02 kWp (16 panels)

Overview

When this homeowner set out to add a veranda to his Cornish property, he wanted more than shelter from the elements. He wanted the structure itself to generate clean power — without sacrificing the light, openness, and kerb appeal of a traditional glass veranda.

Working with Polysolar and UK veranda specialist 123v, the project delivered exactly that: a lean-to glass canopy that doubles as a 1.02 kWp solar array, built using Polysolar's PS-CT transparent PV glass.

The brief

The design called for a partial lean-to veranda over a patio area, fixed to the house with wall plates on two sides and supported by a single post, so the structure would sit flush against the existing roofline without obstructing the view from the kitchen. The homeowner specified transparent solar glass, so the canopy would flood the patio with natural light exactly as a conventional glass veranda would, while quietly generating electricity overhead. This is an ideal solution if you'd rather not have visible panels on your roof, or if your roof is already at capacity with solar PV panels.

Engineering the solution

Because the veranda would be fixed directly to the house, Polysolar's technical design team and 123v's surveyors first had to confirm the existing roof structure could safely carry the new load. Full wind load calculations were carried out in accordance with the UK National Annex to Eurocode 1 (BS EN 1991-1-4:2005+A1:2010), establishing the precise uplift and downward pressures the canopy would experience on site and the resulting fixing requirements — giving the homeowner confidence that the finished structure would be secure for decades of Cornish weather.

With the structural case confirmed, the design was finalised as an 8×2 portrait array of Polysolar PS-CT transparent panels:

• 16 panels of PS-CT transparent PV glass, 1200mm × 600mm × 6.8mm each
• 20% transparency, chosen to balance natural light transmission with power output
• 64W per panel, for a total system size of 1.02 kWp
• Junction boxes and busbars fitted flush to the panel edges for a clean, uninterrupted glass finish
• A grey powder-coated frame to complement the house

The result is a veranda that reads as glass first and solar second — the panels are barely distinguishable from ordinary toughened glazing, letting light stream onto the patio below while the roof itself serves as an energy generator.

Why transparent PV glass?

Polysolar's PS-CT series uses CdTe thin-film technology laminated between two sheets of glass, rather than the opaque silicon cells found in conventional solar panels. That construction is what makes a genuinely see-through solar roof possible: homeowners get a veranda or carport that behaves architecturally like glass, admitting daylight and showing the sky and cloud overhead, while every panel is also a working power station. For a domestic veranda like this one, it meant the family could add solar generation without trading away the light and openness that make a glass veranda worth having in the first place. You'll notice that in this design there is a spacer of conventional glass above the transparent PV glass. This was required for three reasons:

1. Cost - it meant that the system could use standard-dimension Polysolar PS-CT glass.
2. Dimensions - ordinary plate glass plus two standard PS-CT panels makes up the distance between the post at the end of the patio and the eaves.
3. Light - the ordinary glass is 100% transparent, providing extra light. It is common to mix plain glass and transparent PV glass to provide extra light or opening windows (see St Dunstan's Rooflight).

The result

The completed installation gives this Cornish household a veranda that does double duty: a sheltered, light-filled outdoor space and a 1.02 kWp rooftop solar array, installed by 123v using Polysolar's PS-CT transparent glass. The panels carry Polysolar's 10-year materials and 25-year performance warranty, so the system is built to generate for the long term.

Considering a solar veranda or canopy for your own home?

Polysolar's PS-CT transparent glass can be specified for verandas, canopies, carports, and conservatory roofs of almost any size, working with your chosen installer or one of Polysolar's approved partners. Get in touch to talk through your project.