The science fiction writer Bob Shaw invented a concept called “slow glass” in the 1970s, and wrote a number of short stories about the effects and uses of a type of glass that slowed the travel of light from one side to the other, in effect creating a delayed image. In effect you could have windows that stored images, like a video recorder. While windows that generate electricity from sunlight shining on them may not seem as radical or groundbreaking as Bob Shaw’s sci-fi invention, you don’t need to be a scientist (or a science fiction fan) to appreciate the simplicity and convenience of the windows in your home having a dual purpose- to let in light and let you see outside, and to generate power. It’s coming.
A product that allows windows to use natural or even artificial light to generate electricity became commercially viable recently when a US Maryland-based company working with the U.S. Department of Energy found a way to significantly lower the cost of production.
New Energy Technologies Inc., with the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), have produced transparent solar cells that allow glass to produce electricity when suitably coated. Not surprisingly (although perhaps rather boring and predictable) the product has been called SolarWindow- trademarked.
New Energy Technology, is looking to commercialize the product for potential use on 85 million U.S. homes and commercial buildings. No mention of it being used for car screens- I guess the amount of power generated would be insufficient to power your Ferrari or even Smart Car…
One of the secrets to commercial viability has been the reduction of costs of producing the solar window. It seems that this has now been achieved by having a virtually invisible conductive wiring system, which collects and transports electricity from ultra-thin solar cells on the window. Within these ultra-thin solar cells, the light-induced movement of electrons generates the electricity. This is because when exposed to light, the light’s energy prompts electron movement through specific physical and chemical mechanisms leading to power generation.
The amount of power generated by the solar window is not great, but if one imagines buildings such as the Shard in London, or the Chrysler Building in New York being fitted throughout with these windows, a significant amount of power could be generated. In addition these are early days, and research, testing and development will no doubt continue apace now that there’s more than a whiff of commercial viability in the air.
However for certain countries, the UK for example, we will have a much better bet with wind power, because the sun shines so rarely- even in Summer!
