sunshinychick:futurescope:Solar energy that doesn’t block the viewA team of researchers
sunshinychick: futurescope: Solar energy that doesn’t block the view A team of researchers at Michigan State University has developed a new type of solar concentrator that when placed over a window creates solar energy while allowing people to actually see through the window. It is called a transparent luminescent solar concentrator and can be used on buildings, cell phones and any other device that has a clear surface. And, according to Richard Lunt of MSU’s College of Engineering, the key word is “transparent.” [read more at MSU] [paper] [picture credit: Yimu Zhao] That image at the end bothers me. If every “breakthrough” actually worked, and if every paper that was published in a journal (or press release from a university) actually resulted in a usable product immediately, or even at all, we never would have needed fossil fuels to begin with. This goes double for solar power. There’s a massive hype bubble surrounding solar power right now, with lots of people competing for funding even though they have no idea whether their technology will work, or whether they’ll be able to make a living in a market where prices for solar panels have dropped incredibly low. Now, this technology here looks interesting. But if you read the article, you’ll notice an efficiency of 1%, with hopes to get to 5% some day. I’m not sure whether they are basing it on all the light that comes into it or only the wavelengths absorbed. Either way, if you compare it to normal solar cells, this thing barely produces any power. If they get the full power output they hope, then this might work to power a calculator if you put it over the display (calculators use amorphous silicon solar cells with an efficiency in the 5-7% range). -- source link