About the Project

Overview

When a homeowner in Suffolk had a glass balcony balustrade fitted as part of building a new home, he wanted it to do more than meet the required safety standard — he wanted it to generate power too. Solar installer, Soma Safety Solutions Limited, brought the project to Polysolar to have the glass panels made as semi-transparent solar units rather than plain toughened safety glass.

Working together, Polysolar and Soma Safety Solutions delivered a bespoke run of ten PS-CT transparent PV glass panels, forming a balcony balustrade that doubles as a 0.55 kWp solar array.

The brief

The balustrade glass had to satisfy two things at once: full compliance with UK safety requirements for laminated balcony glazing, and a fit within the depth of the existing balustrade clamp system already being installed. On top of that, the homeowner wanted the panels to let daylight through rather than reading as a solid, opaque barrier. The brief called for a semi-transparent solar laminate, toughened and safety-laminated to balustrade standard, in a bespoke size to match the balcony posts.

Engineering the solution

Polysolar worked directly with Soma Safety Solutions to refine the glass build-up so that it fitted within the balustrade's maximum depth without compromising on safety-laminate thickness, and to set the panel size, connector position and cable length to suit the clamp system being installed on site into a frame. The design was finalised as ten bespoke panels of Polysolar PS-CT transparent PV glass:

  • 10 panels of PS-CT transparent PV glass, 985mm × 1000mm using toughened glass
  • 20% transparency, chosen to balance daylight through the balustrade with power output and the required safety-laminate build-up
  • 54.72W per panel, for a total system size of 0.55 kWp
  • Junction box / connector fitted centrally on the short edge, with a 1200mm DC cable to suit the balustrade posts
  • Manufactured to order as a bespoke BIPV glass product

A full electrical performance datasheet was supplied ahead of installation, so the panels could be signed off and connected with confidence.

Why transparent PV glass?

Polysolar's PS-CT series uses CdTe thin-film technology laminated between two sheets of toughened glass, rather than the opaque silicon cells found in conventional solar panels. That construction is what makes a genuinely see-through solar balustrade possible: the balcony barrier behaves architecturally like glass, admitting daylight and keeping sightlines open, while every panel is also a working power station. PS-CT panels are MCS certified (MCS 017, certified by BSI) and carry full CE marking, so they qualify under the UK's microgeneration scheme in the same way as a conventional roof-mounted array. For a domestic balustrade like this one, it meant the homeowner could add solar generation to a safety-critical part of the building without trading away the light and openness a glass balustrade is chosen for in the first place.

The result

The completed installation gives this Suffolk home a balcony balustrade that does double duty: a toughened, laminated glass safety barrier, engineered into the property's balustrade system by Soma Safety Solutions Limited, and a 0.55 kWp solar array 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 balustrade or balcony for your own home?

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

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