SOLWALL aims to develop and integrate an advanced, new generation of high efficiency, cost effective HYBRID SOLAR CURTAIN WALL, capable of producing with the same collector four to five different types of utilities: electricity, hot water, hot air (usable for air conditioning and indoor air quality ventilation), and day-light or shading, while acting as an integral part of the building envelope and replacing the conventional walls.

Following is a listing of the main scientific and technological objectives that will be the essence of this project:

• Increasing the electrical efficiency of the CIS photovoltaic cells by innovative cellcooling methods.
• Measurable technological objectives of SOLWALL will be the achievable thermal energy output, the generated electricity and the primary energy factor.
• Development of a mathematical model, including CFD analysis, to determine optimal design and flow pattern for cooling of the CIS PV cells.
• Integration of this SOLWALL concept in a test building.
•  Analysis and evaluation of the overall energy performance of the hybrid HSCW-building combination.
• Optimization of the conceptual and detailed design of the entire solar system based on the modeling and experimental results.
• Development of an optimized automatic control system for the SOLWALL system with special regard to the requirements of the different utilities.