Researchers are inching closer to a future in which the so-called ‘smart windows’ can produce energy all by themselves. The buildings of the future could come equipped with windows packed with transparent electronic circuits that convert solar light into power.
The new technology may be even more effective than today’s solar panels. However, scientists haven’t mastered the processes behind semiconductors in the glass and a type of special dye covering solar cells. The new tech could be even more efficient if the process is fully understood.
The findings were published in Nanoscale a few months ago. The new technology could enable cities to save energy and become more energy efficient in the long run. Imagine a solar city where all window surfaces could produce energy out of thin air.
Smart Windows Could Revolutionize the Future
For their study, scientists at the University of Cambridge analyzed the individual parts of a solar cell window like the electrodes, organic dyes and titanium oxide, which is a layer that covers the semiconductor’s surface. It is the first study that tries to understand how these components interact with one another.
Study authors found that some chemicals can boost the photovoltaic performance of the solar panels. Lead author Jacqui Cole thinks that just a minor improvement to the cells could make them more competitive in a market usually governed by the price-to-performance ratio.
What’s more, the type of solar panels that use dye-sensitized solar cells to work is relatively cost-effective when compared with other technologies.
Meanwhile, a research team at Michigan State University is developing a similar technology. Their work could lead to the production of transparent solar panels that could be used as window surfaces. The tech could also reduce pollution from fossil fuels dramatically if cities start to use it on a large scale.
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