Study of Optical Transmission losses of Satinated Glass

Satinated glass is an increasingly important component of PV modules, especially in the building integrated (BIPV) sector, where it can contribute to more uniform appearance as well as significantly reduce the risk of glare. Different satination methods, such as wet chemical etching or mechanical abrasion, are available, which can impact the PV-relevant optical parameters in different ways. In order to characterize the associated performance losses, in this study eight different satinated glass types are compared in terms of spectral transmittance, surface morphology, relative transmission loss and angular dependent reflection losses. Measurements show only insignificant transmission losses of < 1 % for acid-etched glass compared to reference PV glass at normal incidence, with significant gains at high incidence angles > 60°. No significant differences between different acid-etched samples can be observed, all featuring homogeneous appearance. Other satination technologies, such as sandblasting or laser-etching show significantly higher transmission and reflection losses at low incidence angles, making them less viable for use in PV applications.