Picture a world where your windows are letting light in whilst silently generating electricity. Imagine a time where you can say goodbye to bulky solar panels while still embracing clean, free, infinite, and invisible energy flowing through almost invisible power sources. With revolutionary advances in solar glass technology also known as photovoltaic glass, ordinary windows are producing energy making sure that sustainable living is no longer just a future dream.
Finding out more about these transparent panels
Although transparent solar panels look just like regular glass, they allow visible light to pass through whilst still maintaining the clarity and the aesthetics of conventional windows. Although users can’t see it, the true magic takes place behind the scenes. Transparent solar panels have been designed to absorb ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light which is also radiation invisible to the naked eye. Without allowing all that energy to get wasted, transparent solar panels turn this energy into electricity.
The first fully transparent solar cell was created in 2014 by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU), and heading the research was chemical engineer Richard Lunt. So, while these transparent solar cells are not an entirely new invention, technology has advanced considerably. Companies such as Ubiquitous Energy in California and Physee in the Netherlands are harnessing technological advances and are turning office buildings, schools, and even skyscrapers into invisible vertical solar farms.
Imagining a future powered by glass
The transparent solar technology sector knows no bounds in the global sphere and the United States alone is estimated to have 5 to 7 billion square meters of glass surfaces to harness as much energy as possible. As stated by MSU researchers, solar windows could meet approximately 40% of the country’s total electricity needs. The transparent panels combined with traditional rooftop panels could cover 100% of the country’s energy needs.
The transparent solar panel invention is said to be a game changer in places where space is limited. Thus far, the Copenhagen International School in Denmark is covered with 12,000 transparent, hued solar panels, which generates electricity to meet over half of the school’s electricity needs. At the same time, Physee is installing 15,000 SmartWindows in European office buildings. These SmartWindows go a step further by utilizing sensors that optimize comfort and overall energy efficiency. Including desirable features such as temperature regulation and smart lighting integration, buildings are not only becoming more sustainable but more desirable too.
While saying goodbye to traditional solar panels, these transparent glass panels are able to generate 1000 times more power.
Understanding why these technological advances are so vital
As the world progresses in its efforts to reach net-zero emissions whilst tackling the problem of climate change, this transparent solution is an elegant way towards reaching the net-zero emissions goal. The transparent solar panels go beyond traditional panels in that there are no space constraints. Transparent solar glass offers an aesthetically pleasing situation that can be installed on virtually any glass surface including that of high-rise office buildings.
The good news is solar transparent panels generates energy that is free using materials that are recyclable. We are moving to a time where even living space windows, personal electronics, and vehicles are starting to incorporate transparent solar coatings. Futuristic transparent solar panels are changing everything.
These smart, sleek, and silently powerful transparent solar panels represent an evolution in renewable energy. As production ramps escalate, transparent solar panels could soon become the standard in new construction development worldwide.
The age of the invisible solar has begun and it seems that in the not-so-distant future, a solar revolution could be happening all around. Citizens should stay abreast of this solar trend as citizens will feel the solar energy difference the most in their home’s energy bill.
