Film Turns Windows Into Solar Panels

itwbennett writes "At the Ceatec electronics conference in Japan this week, 3M is showing film that turns windows into solar panels. Although the product only generates about 20% of the electricity of a traditional solar panel, it will cost about half as much, is much easier to install, and takes up no additional space. 'An average person could go to the store, buy some of this, and then bring it home and install it themselves,' said Yasuhiro Aoyagi, a senior manager in the company's construction markets division."

Comments

Re:Return on investment

[joshuac]

Normal solar panel takes 10-15 years to pay for itself

Assuming no subsidies anywhere along the production/sales/installation process making the solar panels feel artificially cheap. And not counting losses converting the electricity into 120v/Hz AC. Nor counting losses converting power to storage and back again to match energy demand that doesn't coincide with peak production. Or feeding it back into the grid where it takes at a minimum DC --> 120v 60Hz AC --> 240v 60Hz AC --> 120v 60Hz AC path with conversion losses at each step. Assuming your output from the panels at year 10 is the same as year 1.

Otherwise yes, a normal solar panel only takes 10-15 years to pay for itself.

If it only produces 20% of a normal panel it won't be worth it unless it costs about 20% of a normal panel

...or just use the usual tactic, ratchet up the subsidies a little more to further hide the underlying inefficiencies.