The Problem Is Obvious

Every privacy shade, blind, and window covering in every building on earth intercepts solar radiation and converts it into waste heat. That's energy hitting a surface you already own, doing nothing useful.

SolarShade captures that energy. Each shade generates electricity while still providing privacy, glare reduction, and thermal management. It retrofits into existing windows. The local-energy configuration (DC-only, SELV) targets self-installation — hang it like blinds, plug in a USB-C cable, start generating. Grid-interactive configurations require professional installation and jurisdictional approval.

18%

CIGS Cell Efficiency

$405

Stage 1 Prototype

9

Hard Safety Rules

1.6yr*

Target Payback

24V

SELV Max Voltage

Architecture

SolarShade is three integrated systems in one product: a photovoltaic generator, a power conditioning system, and a deterministic safety controller.

◇

PV Shade Assembly

Flexible CIGS thin-film cells bonded to aluminum slats with bypass diode protection. ETFE encapsulation for UV resistance. Modular — individual slats are field-replaceable without disassembling the headrail.

⊞

Headrail Controller

ESP32-based monitoring with dual INA219 current/voltage sensors, triple DS18B20 temperature sensing, and rotary encoder slat-angle tracking. WiFi dashboard at 192.168.4.1 for real-time monitoring.

◎

MPPT Power Path

Genasun GV-5 maximum power point tracking. LiFePO4 battery storage with integrated BMS. USB-C PD output supporting 5V through 20V at up to 100W. Physical disconnect switch with hardware interrupt.

⬡

Grid-Interactive Path

Future stages add a certified microinverter for AC grid connection. Zero-export mode via CT clamp monitoring. Anti-islanding protection. Branch-circuit limiting. All governed by the deterministic safety engine.

⊘

Thermal Value Engine

Intercepting solar radiation at the window reduces cooling demand by 25-75%. In many installations, the HVAC savings exceed the electrical generation value. A 12-window home saves ~$900/yr in cooling costs alone.

◈

Building-Scale Mesh

Multiple shades coordinate through a building controller. A 200-window commercial tower generates $43,816/yr in combined electrical and HVAC savings with a 1.6-year payback period.

Energy Path

Every watt follows a deterministic path from photon to load. No ambiguity. No uncontrolled switching.

PV Shade Assembly (6x CIGS cells, 18V nominal) ↓ Fused DC Bus (5A blade fuse, XT30 connector) ↓ Physical Disconnect (DPST 30V 10A, GPIO interrupt) ↓ Safety Relay (N.O. — opens on fault, power loss) ↓ INA219 Monitoring (voltage + current, I2C → ESP32) ↓ MPPT Controller (Genasun GV-5, LiFePO4 profile) ↓ ┌───────────────┬────────────────────┐ ↓ ↓ ↓ LiFePO4 Battery USB-C PD Output Future: Inverter 12.8V 6Ah 5/9/12/15/20V AC grid export (76.8 Wh) (up to 100W) (certified only)

Deterministic Safety Governance

SolarShade uses the same deterministic governance architecture as Lume-V and the Meridian Canon. An AI system may optimize comfort and energy production, but it does not have final authority over safety-critical switching. These nine rules are architecturally enforced and cannot be overridden by software, firmware updates, or remote commands.

The deterministic safety controller operates within the product boundary. It supplements — but does not replace — required electrical hardware protections, certified inverter safety features, utility-mandated interconnection controls, or building electrical code requirements. AI optimization governs shade position and energy scheduling; it cannot override hardware safety interlocks or deterministic shutdown decisions.

1

NEVER export power unless export is explicitly authorized AND the inverter is certified

2

NEVER energize grid wiring during a utility outage

3

NEVER exceed the configured branch-circuit power limit

4

NEVER charge or discharge outside the BMS safe envelope

5

ALWAYS disconnect within 2 seconds on anti-islanding trip

6

ALWAYS shut down on arc fault, ground fault, or isolation failure

7

ALWAYS fail to SAFE_IDLE when sensor data is missing or inconsistent

8

ALWAYS preserve a signed, append-only audit trail of every state transition

9

NEVER allow an AI optimization layer to override rules 1 through 8

PV Material Comparison

Four photovoltaic technologies evaluated for shade integration. CIGS is the Stage 1 baseline — it balances efficiency, flexibility, and durability for a moving-surface application.

Material	Efficiency	Flexibility	Weight	UV Life	Cost/Wp
CIGS (Flexible)	18%	Excellent (25mm bend)	1.0 kg/m²	25 years	$0.60
Monocrystalline (Rigid)	22%	None	10.0 kg/m²	25 years	$0.28
Organic PV (OPV)	8%	Excellent (5mm bend)	0.125 kg/m²	7 years	$0.45
Amorphous Silicon	8%	Good (50mm bend)	1.5 kg/m²	20 years	$0.75

Building-Scale Projections

Engineering estimates under target-scenario assumptions. Real-world output varies with orientation, climate, shading, and configuration. See assumptions below.

Configuration A — Local-Energy (DC-Only, Self-Install)

SELV architecture, USB-C / battery output, no grid connection. Installation requirements vary by jurisdiction — consult local codes for battery-equipped or motorized window covering installations.

Configuration B — Grid-Interactive (AC, Professional Install)

Includes certified microinverter, AC synchronization, anti-islanding, utility interconnection. Requires licensed electrician, utility interconnection agreement, and jurisdictional permitting. Pricing includes inverter hardware and installation labor allowance.

Target-scenario soft costs (Config A). The local-energy configuration is designed to minimize or eliminate traditional solar soft costs. For self-installed DC-only units, the target installed cost is the product cost alone. Grid-interactive installations include professional installation and approval costs.

Building Type	Windows	Config	Install Cost	Annual Savings	Payback
Home (Interior)	12	A	$5,988	$1,163/yr	5.1 yr
Home (Exterior)	12	A	$5,988	$2,997/yr	2.0 yr
Apartment	6	A	$2,994	$608/yr	4.9 yr
Small Office	20	B	$14,980	$1,909/yr	7.8 yr
Commercial Tower	200	A	$69,800	$43,816/yr	1.6 yr*

* Target scenario — volume commercial, Sun Belt climate, self-install Configuration A. See three-scenario analysis below. Config B pricing includes $300/window inverter + installation allowance.

Three-Scenario Analysis — 200-Window Commercial Tower

Parameter	Conservative	Base Case	Target
Cell Efficiency	14%	18%	18%
Behind-Glass Loss	50%	35%	30%
Peak Sun Hours	4.0 h	5.0 h	5.5 h
HVAC Savings Factor	60%	80%	100%
Installation	Professional ($150/win)	Self-install (Config A)	Self-install + volume
Electricity Rate	$0.12/kWh	$0.15/kWh	$0.16/kWh
Hardware Cost	$109,800	$69,800	$69,800
Annual Savings	$22,400/yr	$35,100/yr	$43,816/yr
Simple Payback	4.9 yr	2.0 yr	1.6 yr

Replacement Cost Offset — A Second Economic Lens

The projections above treat SolarShade as a new investment — total cost vs. total savings. But there's another way to evaluate the economics: buildings already buy window treatments. Standard commercial window coverings cost $150–400 per window and are replaced every 5–7 years. That's an existing, budgeted maintenance expense.

When SolarShade replaces window coverings that were due for replacement anyway, the relevant cost isn't $349 vs. $0 — it's the incremental cost above what the building was already going to spend.

	Standard Coverings	SolarShade (Volume)	Delta
Cost per window	$200–350	$349	$0–149
Annual energy value	$0	$219/yr	+$219/yr
HVAC reduction	Passive only	Passive + optimized	Additional savings
Effective payback on upgrade	—	—	< 8 months*

* Effective payback on the incremental cost above standard window covering replacement ($149 delta ÷ $219/yr energy value). Actual figures depend on blind specification, climate, and configuration. When SolarShade price matches the existing window covering budget, the effective payback is immediate — energy generation begins at zero incremental cost.

vs. Traditional Solar

Rooftop solar payback periods already include the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (EnergySage 2024/2025 market data). SolarShade's numbers below are pre-incentive — no tax credits factored in. Comparison applies to the local-energy Configuration A.

	Traditional Rooftop	SolarShade
Residential Payback	8–9 years	2.0–5.1 years
Commercial Payback	5–7 years	1.6 years*
Apartment / Renter	Not possible	4.9 years
Permits Required	Yes — electrical, structural, interconnection	Target: None (DC-only, SELV)*
Licensed Electrician	Required	Target: Not required (Config A)*
Structural Engineering	Required (roof load analysis)	Not required (window mount)
Installation Time	1–3 days (professional crew)	30 minutes per window
HVAC Savings	None — panels don't shade windows	$75–187 per window/yr
Portable	No — permanently attached to roof	Yes — take it when you move
Soft Costs (% of total)	60–70%	Target: 0% (Config A)*

* Configuration A (local-energy, DC-only). Installation requirements vary by jurisdiction. Grid-interactive Configuration B requires professional installation, permitting, and utility approval.

⊘

Reduced Soft Costs

Traditional solar spends $1.50–3.00 per watt on permits, labor, engineering, and inspections — often exceeding hardware costs (NREL soft cost benchmarking). The local-energy Configuration A targets product-only installed cost: mount it like blinds, plug in a cable. Grid-interactive configurations include professional installation costs.

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Dual Revenue Stream

Rooftop panels generate electricity but don't reduce cooling loads — they sit on the roof while the sun beats through your windows. SolarShade intercepts solar radiation at the glass, producing electricity and cutting HVAC costs simultaneously. In commercial buildings, HVAC savings are 6x the electrical value.

◈

Markets That Don't Exist

115 million US renters can't install rooftop solar. Neither can apartment dwellers, office tenants, HOA-restricted homeowners, or historic buildings. SolarShade is the only solar product available to these markets — not a better option, the only option.

Meridian Integration

SolarShade's wired product ships first. The next generation integrates with the Meridian Canon — DarkWave's deterministic wireless energy routing architecture — to eliminate all internal wiring between shade headrails and the building controller.

Headrail → Anchor Node

Each SolarShade headrail becomes a Meridian transmitter node. PV energy routes wirelessly through mathematically invariant field paths to a room-level receiver.

Zero Wiring

No cable runs from windows to controller. Mount the shade. Mount one receiver per room. The Meridian field geometry handles everything between them.

Building Mesh

Room receivers connect into a building-scale anchor mesh. Every watt is routed deterministically — same path computation, same safety envelopes as the Meridian Canon specification.

Trust Layer Audit

Every energy transaction — window X generated Y watts at time Z through path W — is recorded on the Fractal Ledger with cryptographic proof. Multi-tenant billing and utility reporting built in.

Development Roadmap

Five stages from tabletop prototype to certified commercial product. Each stage validates specific technical claims before committing to the next investment.

01

Now

Low-Voltage Proof

Tabletop PV shade powering USB-C loads. MPPT. Sensor monitoring. Deterministic shutdown. $405 BOM. No AC connection.

02

3–6 Months

Battery Integration

LiFePO4 charge/discharge cycling. Daytime generation, nighttime supply. Thermal protection. Fault handling. Signed operating records.

03

6–12 Months

Certified Inverter

Listed microinverter integration. AC synchronization. Anti-islanding. Zero-export control. Branch-circuit limiting. Professional test installation.

04

12–18 Months

Pilot Installation

Controlled pilots in a home, apartment, office, and warehouse. Real production data. Reliability testing. Occupant satisfaction. Meridian wireless integration.

05

18–30 Months

Certification

UL/IEC certification. Utility interconnection approval. Fire resistance testing. Battery certification. Commercial launch.

Assumptions & Sources

Every quantitative claim on this page is classified below. No calculated or target value is presented as a measured result.

Claim	Classification	Source / Note
18% CIGS efficiency	Industry benchmark	MiaSolé / Global Solar rated flexible modules
$405 Stage 1 prototype	Calculated	BOM from supplier quotes (Mouser, DigiKey, AliExpress)
$499 / $449 / $349 pricing	Target	Estimated at ~2× BOM margin, volume tiers
$69,800 commercial install	Calculated	200 × $349 volume pricing (Config A)
$43,816/yr savings	Calculated	Electrical + HVAC model, target-scenario assumptions
1.6 yr payback	Calculated	Target scenario only — volume, Sun Belt, Config A
9 safety rules	Design specification	Product architecture document
30–50% behind-glass loss	Industry benchmark	NREL, DOE building energy studies
25–75% HVAC reduction	Industry benchmark	ASHRAE, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Traditional solar 8–9 yr payback	Industry benchmark	EnergySage 2024/2025 market data (post-ITC)
Traditional solar 60–70% soft costs	Industry benchmark	NREL soft cost benchmarking reports
$2.50–4.00/W rooftop hardware	Industry benchmark	EnergySage, SEIA quarterly reports
115M US renters	Industry benchmark	US Census Bureau ACS data

All projections assume stated conditions and are subject to real-world validation. Conservative, base-case, and target scenarios are provided in the Building-Scale Projections section. Patent claims are subject to prior-art review and examination. Installation requirements vary by jurisdiction. Nothing on this page constitutes legal, financial, or electrical engineering advice.