Transparent Panels: The Next Stage of Solar Panels

Solar panels have proven their concept and worth for the future of sustainable energy production. Having a 25% average rating that can increase in the next decades guarantees better energy production at affordable prices. In addition, GAF has proven that solar shingles can operate and deliver optimal home energy generation for most modern homes, and their shingles achieve excellent curb appeal and energy generation.

What’s next for solar energy production? Transparent panels that can generate the same or better energy levels. Plus, transparent solar panels can be used beyond roofing — they can serve as windows, doors, and even glass sculptures that generate energy for houses, buildings, and possibly entire cities.

Solar panel windows for tall buildings have always had an excellent theoretical functionality. Now that transparent solar panel technology is here, it’s possible that manufacturers may put their solar energy-collecting window and door designs and improve the overall energy-generating capacities.

You can read the latest on transparent solar shingles and new solar tech from Solar Magazine. We have an excerpt below.

What are transparent solar panels?

Photovoltaic glass is probably the most cutting-edge new solar panel technology that promises to be a game-changer in expanding the scope of solar. These are transparent solar panels that can literally generate electricity from windows—in offices, homes, car’s sunroof, or even smartphones. Blinds are another part of a building’s window that can generate electricity (we will discuss it in a later section).

Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) originally created the first fully transparent solar concentrator in 2014. This clear solar panel could turn virtually any glass sheet or window into a PV cell. By 2020, the researchers in the U.S. and Europe have already achieved full transparency for the solar glass.

These transparent solar panels can be easily deployed in a variety of settings, ranging from skyscrapers with large windows to a mobile device such as a phone, a laptop, or an e-reader. As these solar power windows can simply replace the traditional glass windows in offices and homes, the technology holds the potential to virtually turn every building in the United States and the world into a solar producer.

How do solar panel windows work?

A transparent solar panel is essentially a counterintuitive idea because solar cells must absorb sunlight (photons) and convert them into power (electrons). When a solar glass is transparent, the sunlight will pass through the medium and defeat the purpose of utilizing sunlight. However, this new solar panel technology is changing the way solar cells absorb light.

The cell selectively harnesses a portion of the solar spectrum that is invisible to the naked eye, while allowing the normal visible light to pass through. To achieve this technological wonder, the researchers have developed the transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC) rather than trying to do the impossible by creating a transparent photovoltaic glass cell. (Continue reading here to learn more)

You can always count on Roper Roofing & Solar to provide you with the best solar panel installations in Golden, CO. Contact us today to know more.