The U.S. Department of Energy’s national lab has fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material, described in the journal Chemistry of Materials, could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to generate electricity. This new technology consists of specific semi-conducting polymers, which are combined with fullerenes, or buckyballs, to create a super conductive material that can absorb light and efficiently generate charge. This material is also highly transparent which would permit for the utilization of this material as “solar panel windows”.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Solar Power Windows
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This is a pretty genius idea I think. There are literally windows everywhere in buildings, houses, and cars. If they can produce a design that is simple enough to be interchangeable with current simple glass windows and that doesn't involve massive intense wiring installation, I think they are going to become a new standard. Obviously, pricing will be a major factor on determining its success against regular windows. But if the energy yield is notable this product idea is certainly feasable.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting idea, but I think that it will be very controversial if it ever gets serious consideration. Since these solar windows could be used to replace current windows in houses, massive skyscrapers, or even cars, the question comes down to cost. I think the most crucial aspect of this technology will be whether or not this film is cost effective enough to where it would be worth the investment to build a home, office, or car with. I would be very interested in seeing some sort of economical analysis of this technology in common applications, so that we can see if this technology is feasible at this moment, or if it will need many more years of development to allow it to become widely applicable. But it is a brilliant idea that should be considered in the future.
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