Yes of course – like all technology companies entering a new field of enterprise there are always going to be competitors. We do not see that as a problem – in fact we are happy for the competition as it proves that a large opportunity exists for products of this type – if we didn’t have competitors, we would be worried!

The competitors that are already in the market with product to sell have tinted or coloured glass or glass with solar PV elements visible in the glass itself and so are not truly clear and transparent. These products all have a place – ClearVue’s ultra-clear product will be suitable in instances where visual acuity is a paramount requirement, competitor products may be suited where maximum visibility is not a requirement.

Most of the newer potential competitors to the ClearVue technology and product are at an earlier stage than the ClearVue product and do not have a product ready for sale. Once ready these competitors will likely need to seek certification of their products before they can be sold or at least used on commercial building projects.

Also, a number of potential competitors are relying upon organic compounds that have questionable lifetimes when exposed to UV over long periods – our technology has always deliberately employed inorganic compounds in our proprietary PVB interlayer to avoid the issue of our glass hazing when exposed to UV over many years on a high-rise building façade where upgrades/repairs/replacement will be difficult.

More information on the current development status and material stability limitations applicable to organics-based PV is available from the recently-published authoritative international study reported at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aenm.201903163

A comprehensive recent review of BIPV products, materials and technologies is available from https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/6/1080