According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, buildings consume nearly half of all energy produced in the United States, most of which comes from nonrenewable sources. Traditional onsite solar panels can alleviate energy dependency for certain types of buildings. However, many commercial buildings are constrained by lack of space for panels, or it is not cost effective to install them.
By making use of building facades and integrating a photovoltaic nano-coating technology between two panes of glass, NEXT Energy Technologies taps an energy source that is often overlooked—the sunlight that passes through a building’s windows—and uses it to offset reliance on the grid. NEXT’s windows are manufactured and implemented at half the cost of traditional solar due to scalable printing methods and elimination of encapsulation costs, making it viable for a wider range of applications than traditional solar. Installing these windows brings a quick return: the technology pays for itself in only one year while providing over 30 years of clean energy. With high transparency and efficiency even under high-angle and low-light conditions, NEXT’s windows can naturally illuminate a home or commercial space, while generating energy for the building’s other needs. Window color and transmission can be customized to building specifications or for aesthetic purposes.
NEXT Energy was co-founded by UCSB alumnus Dr. Corey Hoven, a researcher specializing in the design of organic solar cells, and Daniel Emmett, who has more than 20 years of experience in energy efficiency and conservation. The company has its roots in the UCSB Technology Management Program, where they won the New Venture Competition in 2010. Since its founding, NEXT has grown to a team of 27 and received over $2.5 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy to develop its energy-generating technology. The company has raised more than $36M to date.
In February 2025, NEXT unveiled a fully transparent organic PV window, and in July the company completed the first installation of its transparent organic photovoltaic glass facade at its headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. The installation is the world’s first commercial BIPV facade to feature its OPV coatings.
Follow NEXT’s Story at www.nextenergytech.com