Transparent solar cell windows to support power demands

July 25, 2012 13:10
Transparent solar cell windows to support power demands

Path breaking technology advances are being made in utilizing solar power, that is abundantly available and under utilized. The latest development is that UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) scientists have developed  a solar technology that could turn any transparent surface into a solar charger. That simply means that our glass windows could turn into transparent solar cells to charge our premises. The technology advances were noted in the journal ACS Nano. This could convert our dwelling spaces into self-sustained powerhouses.

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"These results open the potential for visibly transparent polymer solar cells as add-on components of portable electronics, smart windows and building-integrated photovoltaics and in other applications," said study leader Yang Yang, a UCLA professor of materials science and engineering, who also is director of the Nano Renewable Energy Center at California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).

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UCLA claim that the new polymer solar cells (PSC) are 70 percent transparent but still manages to harvest near-infrared light using its photo-active plastic cells. The affordable components are sure to make a difference while viewing solar power for the future. If research is to make a further advancement then probably the same technology could be used to power our personal gadgets and vehicles too. Making it cheap, affordable, viable and abundance  put into fullest use. Solar power would be a green initiative for sustained future power needs. (With inputs from internet-AW AarKay)

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