Method and system for color neutral transparent photovoltaics

A method of manufacturing a visibly transparent photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

• providing a visibly transparent substrate;
• forming a first visibly transparent electrode coupled to the visibly transparent substrate;
• forming a second visibly transparent electrode;
• forming a visibly transparent photoactive layer between the first visibly transparent electrode and the second visibly transparent electrode, the visibly transparent photoactive layer configured to convert at least one of near-infrared (NIR) light or ultraviolet (UV) light into photocurrent and characterized by an absorption spectrum with a peak outside the visible spectrum in the NIR or UV spectrum, wherein the visibly transparent photoactive layer comprises organic photoactive materials;
• and
• incorporating an optical layer having a visibly absorbing material that is separate from the visibly transparent photoactive layer, the first visibly transparent electrode, and the second visibly transparent electrode and is characterized by a second absorption spectrum with a second peak in the visible spectrum, wherein the second absorption spectrum of the optical layer is complementary to the absorption spectrum of the visibly transparent photoactive layer, and wherein the optical layer has a thickness such that the visibly transparent substrate, the first visibly transparent electrode, the second visibly transparent electrode, the visibly transparent photoactive layer, and the visibly transparent photoactive layer together are characterized by transmitted a* and b* values between −10 and 10 in International Commission on Illumination (CIE) L*a*b* (CIELAB) color space, wherein the optical layer is not disposed between the first visibly transparent electrode and the second visibly transparent electrode.