Transparent Solar Spray Transforms Windows Into Watts
Photo by Robert S. DonovanNorwegian Company EnSol AS has developed a remarkable new spray-on solar film that allows windows to generate solar power without clouding the view. The material consists of metal nanoparticles embedded in a transparent composite matrix that can be easily sprayed on. And the cells don’t just work on glass — they can be used on the rest of the house, too!
Inhabitat has brought you a number of technologies that make it possible to create ultra-thin solar cells, making them far more versatile. But there’s something particularly satisfying about EnSol AS’ new transparent spray-on solar film.
Lead researcher Christopher Binns of the University of Leicester said, “The coating would be built into the windows or other materials as part of the manufacturing process. It could even be used on the roofs of cars to charge up batteries — although powering the vehicles themselves would probably be pushing it.”
Perhaps EnSol’s slogan should be Solar: It’s not just for rooftops anymore. The cells achieve efficiencies of 20 percent (which is average) and the company claims they will be commercially available at a reasonable price by 2016.
Light-Bending Polymer Sticker Boosts Solar Panel Output by 10%
Looking for an instant power boost for your solar panels? Slap on a large, transparent sticker by Genie Lens Technologies to get 10 percent more juice. The polymer film, which can be applied to panels you already have installed, comes riddled with microstructures that bend incoming sunlight for better absorption. More light equals more electricity, which in turn lowers the per-watt cost of solar power.
The inexpensive film works by preventing light from bouncing off the surface of the panel, according to Seth Weiss, the company’s CEO and co-founder. Not only does the sticker trap light inside the semiconductor materials that convert light into electricity, but it also diverts incoming rays so that they travel across — rather than through— the panel, bettering their chances of being absorbed.
Tests at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that the film increases power output by between 4 to 12.5 percent, with the biggest improvement occurring when the sky is overcast and incoming light is diffuse. Although adding the sticker, whether in the factory or on solar panels already installed, raises the overall cost of the panels by 1 to 10 percent, the additional electricity generated makes up for the price.
A more efficient solar panel also means getting by with fewer solar panels, according to Travis Bradford, a solar industry analyst and president of the Prometheus Institute. As a result, other costs such as shipping and installation could also drop. Just one downside: Although the film has been rated for 20 years, it hasn’t been tested for durability — scratches, discoloring, and trapped dust can actually lower power output over time.
Posts
