Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building

Abstract Electrochromic smart windows (ESWs) are an effective energy‐saving technology for near‐zero energy buildings. They consume electric energy unidirectionally during a round‐trip coloring‐bleaching process, with the energy involved in the bleaching process being wasted. It is highly desirable...

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Main Authors: Yunfei Xie, Ruonan Huang, Meini Li, Ningzhi Cao, Xiaoteng Jia, Caiyun Wang, Danming Chao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Advanced Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406232
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author Yunfei Xie
Ruonan Huang
Meini Li
Ningzhi Cao
Xiaoteng Jia
Caiyun Wang
Danming Chao
author_facet Yunfei Xie
Ruonan Huang
Meini Li
Ningzhi Cao
Xiaoteng Jia
Caiyun Wang
Danming Chao
author_sort Yunfei Xie
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Electrochromic smart windows (ESWs) are an effective energy‐saving technology for near‐zero energy buildings. They consume electric energy unidirectionally during a round‐trip coloring‐bleaching process, with the energy involved in the bleaching process being wasted. It is highly desirable to reuse this wasted electric energy directly and/or transfer it into other energy storage equipment, further enhancing the overall efficiency of electric energy usage. Herein, a zinc anode‐based ESW (ESW‐PZ) is reported that not only has fascinating visible–near‐infrared (VIS‐NIR) dual‐band electrochromic performance (a high optical contrast of 63%) but also showcases good energy storage characteristics (a wide voltage window of 2.6 V and a high energy density of 127.5 µWh cm−2). The buildings utilizing ESW‐PZ to modulate indoor environments demonstrated an average annual energy saving of 366 MJ m−2 based on energy simulations, which is about 16% of the total energy consumption. Impressively, a high utilization efficiency of 90% (855 mWh m−2) of the wasted electric energy is realized through an ingenious circuit‐switching strategy, which can be reused to power small household appliances.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2198-3844
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publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Wiley
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series Advanced Science
spelling doaj-art-53905413fd3a42458e882249ccd9e7fe2025-08-20T02:15:32ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442024-11-011142n/an/a10.1002/advs.202406232Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy BuildingYunfei Xie0Ruonan Huang1Meini Li2Ningzhi Cao3Xiaoteng Jia4Caiyun Wang5Danming Chao6College of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaCollege of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaCollege of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaCollege of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaState Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics College of Electronic Science and Engineering Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaIntelligent Polymer Research Institute Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences Innovation Campus University of Wollongong North Wollongong NSW 2500 AustraliaCollege of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun 130012 ChinaAbstract Electrochromic smart windows (ESWs) are an effective energy‐saving technology for near‐zero energy buildings. They consume electric energy unidirectionally during a round‐trip coloring‐bleaching process, with the energy involved in the bleaching process being wasted. It is highly desirable to reuse this wasted electric energy directly and/or transfer it into other energy storage equipment, further enhancing the overall efficiency of electric energy usage. Herein, a zinc anode‐based ESW (ESW‐PZ) is reported that not only has fascinating visible–near‐infrared (VIS‐NIR) dual‐band electrochromic performance (a high optical contrast of 63%) but also showcases good energy storage characteristics (a wide voltage window of 2.6 V and a high energy density of 127.5 µWh cm−2). The buildings utilizing ESW‐PZ to modulate indoor environments demonstrated an average annual energy saving of 366 MJ m−2 based on energy simulations, which is about 16% of the total energy consumption. Impressively, a high utilization efficiency of 90% (855 mWh m−2) of the wasted electric energy is realized through an ingenious circuit‐switching strategy, which can be reused to power small household appliances.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406232electroactive polymerelectrochromicenergy storagesmart window
spellingShingle Yunfei Xie
Ruonan Huang
Meini Li
Ningzhi Cao
Xiaoteng Jia
Caiyun Wang
Danming Chao
Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
Advanced Science
electroactive polymer
electrochromic
energy storage
smart window
title Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
title_full Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
title_fullStr Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
title_full_unstemmed Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
title_short Reusing the Wasted Energy of Electrochromic Smart Window for Near‐Zero Energy Building
title_sort reusing the wasted energy of electrochromic smart window for near zero energy building
topic electroactive polymer
electrochromic
energy storage
smart window
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406232
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AT ningzhicao reusingthewastedenergyofelectrochromicsmartwindowfornearzeroenergybuilding
AT xiaotengjia reusingthewastedenergyofelectrochromicsmartwindowfornearzeroenergybuilding
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