Solar Windows: An Early Breakthrough with Great Promise

The idea of solar windows is one that was experimented by Swiss scientists who felt that windows were a natural part of the house to experiment with solar energy. Since windows already let in light, why not see if they can collect energy from that light at the same time?

It was actually a team of chemists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology who came up with this ground breaking work on solar windows. Lead by Professor Michael Graetzel, this team designed a transparent solar cell - which is what would allow it to work for windows, since it wouldn't block the sunlight or the view.

Solar windows are still in the early part of the experimental stage. As it is now, this early version of the transparent solar cells that make solar windows possible, converts only 10% of the energy in sunlight into electricity. This actually isn't bad (most people don't realize just how much energy there is in sunlight), although it isn't as efficient as the commercial solar panels that track the sun.

Both types of solar panels use a "photoelectric effect" to convert sunlight into electrical energy. The transparent solar cells that would be used in solar windows convert light to energy using a redox process, which is actually somewhat similar to how plants use photosynthesis. A layer of transparent solar cells will be put between to layers of thin specially designed glass to make a normal looking window, but one that collects solar power which can then be transferred to an external circuit where the electricity can be used anywhere.

This technology, and the low cost of transparent cells versus the regular commercial solar cells gives solar power a huge potential boost in poorer countries with sunny climates. Imagine a sub-Saharan country that could turn that natural sunlight into electricity - giving power to thousands of people who need it most but couldn't afford it. In addition, these solar windows also reduce the amount of heat that makes it into the house, making the inside cooler.

Solar windows are still in the earliest levels of development, but the early results show that this solar technology has amazing potential for now and the future.