What if large buildings were able to harvest solar energy not only on rooftops, but across the entire surface of the building itself?<\/p>\n
This Sci-Fi-esque question is apparently close to be answered – and being answered in an emphatic way – thanks to the work of a Michigan State professor and his team of scientists.<\/p>\n
Professor Richard Lunt is working on technology that would allow for seemingly normal windows to actually harvest solar energy. The technology is known as a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC) and works by guiding infrared light to the edge of the transparent cell, where thin strips of conventional photovoltaic solar cell can then convert it into solar power.<\/p>\n
“Any building can start to be a good solar collector now, so we can turn our solar farms into solar cities.” Professor Richard Lunt, Michigan State University<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
While the transparent solar cells are currently able to gather solar energy and generate solar power from sunlight, the efficiency – TLSC reportedly has an efficiency of around 1 percent<\/a>) – of these cells is much lower than more traditional solar panels.<\/p>\n
Solar cell efficiency has been a popular topic recently, with SolarCity reporting a 22.04 percent module-level efficiency<\/a> and then Panasonic subsequently reporting a world-record module conversion efficiency of 22.5 percent<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Regardless of any questions about the efficiency and\/or costs of producing this type of transparent solar cell, Professor Lunt is optimistic about the future of this technology saying that “this is happening now” and that he expects to “see products in a variety of areas [utilizing the technology] within a couple of years.”<\/p>\n
Learn more about the project here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n#MSU<\/a> technology turns transparent surfaces into solar surfaces without blocking the view. http:\/\/t.co\/7W3QSv4SdQ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/u0V3Jbz3Et<\/a><\/p>\n
— MSU (@michiganstateu) June 17, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n