@Hanzell
Solar panels as windows??? I’m not sure if this already got news globally or not but I really wanted to share this more in hopes of it getting more attention So I’ve always been a fan of solar panels since they provide way more benefits now more than ever since aside from giving yourself the freedom from electric companies who still heavily rely on petroleum or even nuclear energy to use as an energy source, this alternative would be great for having a decentralized form of energy as well as a way to reduce your bills. Now imagine if these solar panels were used as windows, or as screens on all your gadgets. Imagine basically free electricity as Nikola Tesla wanted but in a greener approach? This would definitely eliminate the guilt of using electric vehicles, of depleting the petroleum reserves and if ever, for the possible power shortages in the future
Here, it’s a transparent solar panel which was developed by a research team in the college of engineering at Michigan State University. Its transparency is its major selling point seeing as it can be multi functional and can be used on almost any glass surface that people can imagine, and it could be the key to producing self-charging gadgets so that we would never need to worry about battery life when we’re out. **But how does this work?** First, I’d like to talk about why this has never been done before now. You see, traditional solar panels are usually darkly tinted or are black glass because black absorbs all wavelengths light has. Black is the ideal absorber of energy (explains why it’s hotter when you wear black clothes) so for a solar panel to be clear, that means no energy will be absorbed because light will just pass through.
To answer to that problem, the research team made use of an organic salt called transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC). This material deviates from the traditional solar panel but then it works! It mostly absorbs wavelengths from the ultraviolet and infrared light. That energy absorbed is then converted to the infrared region. Energy from the infrared region is what comes off as heat but then its efficiency to be used in every household is just not there yet. Hopefully in the future, they can improve the efficiency of this device and make it a step towards truly green energy without the need to change how our building structures are usually designed this is the official paper for those interested https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adom.201400103 I just simplified this so as to make it easier to understand. Also this is because of my previous elongated discussion with @Cryptonoob and @bheng620
69 comments
Wonderful article and fascinating how the technology is evolving. Who knew that in some years we will have solar windows that would not look different but will be way more useful. Just amazing
Right???? This is my ideak future, honestly. It's way beter than electrically powered ones because i really don't see the use of electric cars when they still consume petroleum
I have a friend he does research on solar panels for industrial applications and recently his research got some really good funding
I hope he sees this research too though. But what materials is in his research? I'm fairly interested in that
He is actually creating some drone tech to test solar farms for any issues. Not really sure how that works.
Where is his research based? Because i think solar farms were mostly the ones in arab countries due to land mass limitations
True it is based in Qatar. There is a remote location where they have solar farms and they are building more
Solar panels is good n some province's already using it, the emergency light i bought at shopee had it n my mom put it when the sun's up to charge it n nice article po n my name's being mentioned po, lol, but i don't mind it po :)
I see those a lot too, though it's still using the outdated technology but it's still something. What would be nice would be the freedom fron the petroand the nuclear plants though
Yes, hopefully it will happen soon so the earth n nature will be free from pollution po
I've always envision what would the world be like if it was more like solarpunk-ish. I bet the world would be less polluted and livable as renewable energy can totally be healthy, and not to mention "less costly" to us, living organisms.
I agree. It's a far better and nore ideal world for me. Plus the need for petroleum could eventually be eliminated if this technology gets improved more and the efficiency be raised
That will be a great news . More people can be encouraged to use this renewable energy and also it is eco friendly.
I hope so since i hate having to pay such high bills every month
I need, I need
I also do :""" i need electric cars to be guilt free
😂😂😂 for real?
Yes. I hate the emissions from standard cars then electric cars still make emissions but indirectly so if this happens then there won't be a problem with gas or stuff
😂😂I need one too
Omg. Am I the only whose okay with the slightly tinted glasses as windows? But anyway, THIS. IS. SUCH. A. GREAT. IDEA. I can't even stress how great it is. Nuclear and other types of power plants providing electricity is already a big disadvantage to the environment, imagine every household not needing it anymore. Wow. If this will be successfully invented, I think I'll be totally happy to leave my children in this world. Wow. I'll definitely invest in these ones in thule future. I was sleepy but not anymorw after reading this hahahhaha
I'm glad you see my excitement with this! I would also definitely invest in this when it comes into the market. The prototypes they have are still at such low efficiency but i swear, if they perfect this to the level of current solar cells then it would be revolutionary!
I hope we'll all be alive by that time tho hahahahaha
I like solar panels too and I can imagine how useful these would be in tropical climate houses where the sun shines the whole year through. Although, I do hope they can keep the cost down so that many will be able to install and benefit from it.
The cost of these were made to be fairly cheap so that it can be used for mass scale reproduction if the time ever came. I was also looking at other solar panel studies and i found some that were made from almost any kind of waste and biomass material. It came in line with my research and i found it really cool
yes, we offered these kinds of solar panels in one of the campaigns I handled. But there are few factors to consider before you gets eligible for these solar panels.... We pre-qualify them if they are eligible for these solar panels. It's a little trickier than those solar panels installed on roofs.
So they were launched there already? Yeah it's trickier and it needs a lot more maintenance and regular cleaning compared to your typical solar panels plus the need to install a harvester and energy storage too but overall, this would make a huge step and self charging materials though
This is great alternative source of energy. 💓
Right??? I really loved the idea when the research first broadcasted
This would be the breakthrough we have always wanted .I am a big fan of noiseless production of electricity and this would definitely help reduce cost of electricity
Electricity and pollution if i might add. Because i can really see a green future if the research kept getting innovated
Keep sharing
Will do!
How amazing our world can be if we use electricity using solar energy. I hope they'll be able to improve the efficiency of the product and its cost to be maintained is not high. Your article is informative well done😁
I agree because last time i checked, the efficiency was still at 4% which is still a bit low compared to your usual panels that go from 7%-15%, depending on how tinted the glass they use is. But that 4%is a big deal already though!
Yes, that 4% is a big deal because it'll go higher and higher in future, i hope when that time comes there are still trees and our earth can still be save and slowly healing
Well there's still seeds that can be planted. Improving this doesn't seem too far down the road since the project receives good funding though. So hopefully soon this gets more popular
I hope so too, and yes a lot of seeds can be planted but only few volunteered to do so
Well a few is way better than none and those few will be enough to make such a huge difference
Indeed, but i hope people who danger the earth as well as activities that give harm to our nature will soon decline, and invention like this will be prominent.
I hope so but i think that part is a matter of teaching within the family and the community. Let's just hope for the better on this
Yes it all starts in ourselves. I had a great time exchanging thoughts thank you😁
nice invention
It is, isn't it ^-^
Very interesting scientific article. Even if transparent glass-solar panels are used, it would not be sufficient enough YET to fully power your home appliances or electric vehicle. Such invention would be costly, the panels and the battery.
I've seen studies working on converting waste materials into nanoparticles which can be used to coat transparent solar panels, that falls under my current research area but then it's true about the battery at least. That part would be the costly part. Still though, if nanotechnology took part in improving this technology, it could be far more efficient than the standard panels we know. Plus this research was from 2014. I just wanted to present it as awareness that there's such a thing
When I went to my boyfriend house in the mountains and they use a solar panel for electricity. Though they only use it for lights and charging cellphones.
That's still a big save on the electricity bill though :"" and so cool! I've been wanting to make and install panels at home but my mom thinks i might blow up the house
😅😅😅
We have solar panel for street light, lawn and backyard. It really helps during brown-out and electric bill. I hope this new study would be a success beneficial for many users without hazard for life and property.
I wish the lamps here would be able to do that but it still looks far from happening. I'd love to see this technology happening in the future
More comments