Reducing Glare in Solar Panels With Matte FEP Films
Solar energy production accounts for about 75% of all new renewable capacity and is the fastest growing renewable energy source today. With more panels installed on roofs, walls and land, reflections and glare are a growing concern for solar installations near airports, highways, and urban environments. Engineers need solutions that balance low glare, high efficiency, and long-term durability. Let us find out together how innovative matte FEP solar front sheets can be the next important thing in solar energy production.
In modern solar panels, about 20% of the incident sunlight is absorbed for electricity, 4-8% is reflected as glare and the rest is lost as heat or other factors (Source: https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-performance-and-efficiency). While this percentage of reflected sunlight sounds small and neglectable, it can be disturbing and uncomfortable to look at. With more solar panel installations, glare can become a safety risk for pedestrians, pilots and drivers and could affect the environment and animals.
Together with aesthetic challenges for architectural integration, engineers and architects need solutions for glare reduction to meet increasing regulatory requirements for glare mitigation like FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in the United States, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Guidance or EN 50583 (Europe) and UL 7103 (U.S.) for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV).
Current anti-reflective coatings are designed to increase light transmission by reducing reflection losses, which can reduce glare to 2-3%. Even though this is significant, glare can still be noticeable at certain angles. Textured glass, however, scatters light to reduce glare but can lightly reduce optical transmission to the cells which can reduce the efficiency of the solar panel and lead to higher levelized cost of energy (LCOE).
Especially in BIPV applications, architects often require lightweight and bendable materials - conventional approaches could limit flexibility as anti-reflective coatings are applied to glass sheets and are not adaptable to flexible PV modules or irregular surfaces and would require complex framing or custom fabrication. Conventional approaches also add extra thickness and weight to the panels which increases structural load, resulting in higher installation costs and reinforced mounting systems.
But how can the glare issue be tackled without compromising efficiency or freedom of design? Matte FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) front sheets can be the answer. Films like Saint-Gobain® Norgard® solar front sheets deliver high transparency and excellent resistance, improving panel efficiency, longevity and protection.
Their low refractive index and high transparency improve light transmission, boosting the overall energy efficiency of solar cells. The excellent aging resistance ensures long-term durability under harsh environmental conditions, while low surface energy improves cleanability. The textured matte finish improves cell efficiency, reduces glare, and improves aesthetics of the solar panel. Specifically, matte FEP films provide superior moisture resistance, withstand atomic oxygen and gamma radiation and contribute to lightweight system designs while offering significant technical advantages for engineers.
Let us compare FEP and glass properties for better understanding:
| Property | FEP Film | Glass |
| Optical Transmission (%) | ~95 | ~91 |
| Weight (kg/m2) | ~0.45 | ~2.5 |
| Glare Index (lower = better) | 15 | 45 |
| UV Degradation (20 yrs) | ~2% | ~8% |
| Flexibility | High (bendable) | None (rigid) |
| Impact Resistance | Excellent | Brittle |
| Weatherability | Excellent | Good |
- Optical Transmission: These front sheets provide superior optical transmission for excellent panel efficiency
- Lightweight: Ultrathin films add limited weight to the panel and are highly flexible, allowing installation on complex surfaces and with flexible solar panels
- Glare Index: Significantly lower glare index than glass helps meet tough regulations
- UV and mechanical Resistance: Minimal degradation over 25+ years and strong mechanical protection increase the lifetime of the panel and improve cost efficiency
- Compatibility: Works with advanced encapsulants (POE/EPE) and next-gen PV technologies (TOPCon, HJT)
Innovative multilayer film architectures like Norgard UV PRO deliver exceptional performance in demanding solar environments. Its flexibility and light weight design enable its use in thin film PV applications and can be easily processed in roll-to-roll or traditional lamination. In some cases, the product can be used as a glass replacement for PV protection to further reduce weight. Its excellent optical properties make these materials a game changer for solar applications.
The increased installation of solar panels is not only transforming energy production; it also transforms urban environments and landscapes. With innovative matte FEP front sheets, engineers have a material at hand that allows to significantly reduce glare and therefore risks and optical disturbances, and increase efficiency, panel performance, flexibility and durability at the same time. A win-win situation to make the world a better home. Learn more about these special materials for a brighter future in solar energy production.