An Australia-based ‘smart building materials’ firm is constructing a ‘revolutionary’ $1.6m greenhouse at Murdoch University, constructed from clear solar glass. Once finished and fitted in early 2021, it will be used for crop trials to test the efficacy of the new clear-solar-glass technology.
According to Murdoch University News, the university has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ClearVue Technologies and construction has commenced on the commercial-scale glasshouse, incorporating ClearVue’s photovoltaic glass technology to generate renewable energy.
The MOU will see both parties engaged in building ClearVue’s Cooperative Research Centres Project grant-funded glasshouse, which is sited near other greenhouses within the new agricultural precinct on Murdoch’s Perth, Western Australia campus.
The memorandum also lays out ‘collaborative research arrangements aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the photovoltaic glass technology’, states the university.
Crop trials to test efficacy of ClearVue technology
Leading molecular geneticist and Murdoch University professor Chengdoa Li and his team will conduct crop trial in the new greenhouse, once it is up and running. The trials will evaluate the effectiveness of various iterations of ClearVue smart glass in promoting plant growth.
Murdoch University’s Director of Research and Innovation Chris Hutchison welcomed the joint R&D project. “The collaboration with ClearVue is an important example of industry utilising and building on our research expertise,” he said.
ClearVue Executive Chairman Victor Rosenberg told Murdoch University News that the company was excited by the MoU and keen to work with Professor Li.
“The CRC-P grant-funded greenhouse will be one of the company’s first commercial-scale technology demonstrators using the ClearVue technology in a real-world setting,” Rosenberg said. “The opportunity to work with Murdoch and Professor Chengdao Li will be a great opportunity for ClearVue that will lead to other collaborations in the future.”
About ClearVue Technologies Limited
Australia-based tech firm ClearVue Technologies Limited (ASX: CPV) integrates solar technology – specifically glass and building surfaces – into the building and agricultural industries to provide renewable energy.
The company has developed advanced glass technology that functions to preserve the transparency of glass while enabling renewable power generation via solar PVs cells placed around the edges of Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) used in windows and in the lamination interlayer between the glass. Each IGU incorporates ClearVue’s patented proprietary nano and micro particles, plus a ‘spectral-selective’ coating on its rear external surface.
ClearVue’s window technology has clear applications in the agricultural industries,. notably protected cropping.
Further reading
Check out Horti Daily‘s longform article on the new glasshouse facility.
Sources
Revolutionary new $1.6m glasshouse to be built at Murdoch I Murdoch University News
Australia: Construction begins on solar glass greenhouse I Horti Daily