Climate Finance | January 18, 2022

Ubiquitous Energy scores $30 million for solar-powered windows

Roodgally Senatus
ImpactAlpha Editor

Roodgally Senatus

ImpactAlpha, January 18 — Redwood City, Calif.-based Ubiquitous Energy was founded in 2011 by MIT and Michigan State University scientists and engineers looking to lower carbon emissions by integrating solar power into everyday products. The result: transparent solar, which converts light into electricity with semiconducting materials while maintaining transparency.

The company has raised $70 million to commercialize the technology, which can also be used in consumer electronics and cars. 

Product development

The Series B round, backed by investors including window maker Andersen Corp., Red Cedar Ventures and Riverhorse Investments, brings Ubiquitous closer to mass production by 2024, CEO Susan Stone told ImpactAlpha. “When we’re talking about bringing a technology like ours from lab to product, there’s a lot of development work and maturation that needs to happen.”

Solar energy

Ubiquitous has installed windows with global partners, including Japanese conglomerate ENEOS Holdings. By 2050, its goal is to install one billion square feet of transparent solar windows.

The company’s windows can be installed in residential or commercial buildings to produce energy when the sun is out. “The long-term goal is transparent solar everywhere, not just windows,” Stone said.