**Recent Developments in Solar Energy-Harvesting Technologies for Building Integration and Distributed Energy Generation**

#### **Mikhail Vasiliev \*, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam and Kamal Alameh**

Electron Science Research Institute (ESRI), School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia; m.nur-e-alam@ecu.edu.au (M.N.-E.A.); k.alameh@ecu.edu.au (K.A.) **\***Correspondence:m.vasiliev@ecu.edu.au

 Received: 14 February 2019; Accepted: 15 March 2019; Published: 20 March 2019

**Abstract:** We present a review of the current state of the field for a rapidly evolving group of technologies related to solar energy harvesting in built environments. In particular, we focus on recent achievements in enabling the widespread distributed generation of electric energy assisted by energy capture in semi-transparent or even optically clear glazing systems and building wall areas. Whilst concentrating on recent cutting-edge results achieved in the integration of traditional photovoltaic device types into novel concentrator-type windows and glazings, we compare the main performance characteristics reported with these using more conventional (opaque or semi-transparent) solar cell technologies. A critical overview of the current status and future application potential of multiple existing and emergen<sup>t</sup> energy harvesting technologies for building integration is provided.

**Keywords:** renewables; energy saving and generation; built environments; transparent concentrators; luminescent concentrators; solar windows; advanced glazings; photovoltaics
