Researchers have created a transparent coating to turn ordinary windows into solar power generators
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/colorless-coating-turn-windows-into-solar-panels?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=reddit_share
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Researchers in China have created a transparent, colorless, and unidirectional solar concentrator that can be directly coated onto standard window glass and used to harvest sunlight without changing the window’s appearance.
The innovation, which was designed by a research team at Nanjing University in the Chinese province of Jiangsu, uses cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) multilayers with submicron lateral periodicities.
Even if it is the most miniscule amount, hook all those bad boys up to a power wall and let it trickle in.
Wow, that’s an amazing invention, it’s sure it will revolutionize how we interact with power generation. Also I’m sure we’ll never see it in the states.
I’m thinking it could be great if you could turn windows into solar panels but I wonder how effective it actually is and if it is resistant to weather etc.
Imagine if you could make something like a skyscraper self sufficient energy wise.
Another great sounding thing that will be declared “woke” by the Corrupter In Chief.
Wonder how much lobbying there’s going to be against bringing this to the US… or atleast insane price gouging or energy bill increase “justifications”
Interesting tech, but maybe not worth the installation effort at 38% capture. Each window would need low voltage wiring, and groups of windows would need DC-DC boost converters feeding HV wiring. It might be economical on a skyscraper as long as nobody else builds another skyscraper that takes your light.
I want to know if these are reversible. Can I use side illumination to make light shine in a window but not out? That could be an efficient source of soft light.