Nornickel and the National University of Science and Technology MISIS have created and demonstrated scaled prototypes of semi-transparent solar panels. The development is intended for integration into the glass façades and roofs of buildings.

The new technology, known globally as Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), transforms architectural elements into sources of electricity. The panels integrated into the façade perform three functions at once: they generate electricity, allow daylight into the room, and protect against overheating by reflecting thermal radiation.

**An employee of the MISIS Laboratory for Advanced Solar Energy works with a solar module on a laser scribing stand.**

The development is based on hybrid perovskite films, which are less than a micron thick and applied to the surface using a printing method. A key innovation was the move away from opaque metal contacts in favour of multi-layered transparent electrodes. Palladium provides resistance to oxidation and, therefore, durability.

Nornickel systematically invests in developing solutions using palladium to expand the demand for this metal. The new projects are designed to make technologies that are based on catalysts, among other things, more effective and economical. In this case, scientists have managed to find a new, promising field for palladium at the intersection of energy and architecture.

‘For us, it is important not just to look for new applications for palladium, but to show how this metal helps solve real technological challenges. In solar panels, a nano-layer of palladium is applied to the electrodes, and this is enough to increase reliability, protect the elements from oxidation, and extend their service life without a noticeable impact on the cost price. This makes the technology competitive not only in the laboratory but also in real-world operating conditions,’ emphasised Anna Stavitskaya, Head of Projects at Nornickel’s Palladium Technology Centre.

Windows that generate energy: Nornickel and MISIS University develop semi-transparent solar panels