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Solar Window Panes

Posted by michael on from the bright-ideas dept.

Val42K writes "Now, those windows that allow glare onto your computer screen can be useful. They will provide power to your computer, air conditioning and other useful necessities. Energy conversion rates are 'way more than 50 percent'."

3 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Bullhoey(energy conversion rates) by GileadGreene · · Score: 4, Informative
    Current conversion rates are about 18%, and haven't changed much in 20 years or more;

    Well, actually, solar cell technology has been improving steadily over the last several years. There are currently flying spacecraft with 26% efficient cells, 28% cells due to start rolling off the production lines sometime in the next year or two, and experimental designs for cells that are up to 35% efficient.

    But you're right - nothing anywhere near 50% (at least AFAIK). And 100% efficient sounds like total BS.

  2. Re:Amazing by Rorschach1 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Apparently the >50% claim refers to the vertical multijunction cells they're developing at Rensselaer. Which to me is a far more interesting development than an architectural group's plans to use them in a novel way. Screw fancy windows, just pile 'em on the roof and give me a place to plug in.

  3. Tried it by trolman · · Score: 3, Informative

    and it does reduce the heat in my 'radio and computer shack' by about 4 degrees during the day. I have 150W of solar and they charge batteries and those power the UPS and 12VDC equipment like radios, netgear switch, and SMC router. When the sun comes up the load comes off of the battery charger and the temperature goes down= do not need at much cooling. It is about 100W/hr of cost savings at full sun.