Transparent Solar Panels: The Future of Renewable Energy?
Unlike traditional solar panels, MSU''s invisible solar panels do not absorb visible sunlight, allowing them to be transparent while still capturing energy from ultraviolet and
Transparent solar panels—also called invisible solar panels, see through solar panels, or photovoltaic glass—shine in different ways. While less efficient, they can be built into windows, skylights, facades, and other surfaces where traditional panels cannot go.
Renewable energy technology is gradually assuming new forms with the emergence of transparent solar panels. These solar panels as their name suggest are either transparent or semi-transparent since they allow light to pass through them. It is for this reason that they offer alternative uses which opaque traditional panels cannot provide.
Traditional solar panels work by capturing light, mostly from the visible spectrum, and converting it into electricity. But transparent panels are smarter about it. They let the visible light pass through (so you can still see through the panel) and harvest the invisible parts of the spectrum: UV and IR light.
However, the average cost may vary from 300 to – 500$ for a 240-300 watt solar window. Currently, Heliatek, Brite Solar, and Ubiquitous Energy are the major companies offering transparent solar panels. The efficiency of transparent solar modules is quite low in comparison to traditional solar panels.
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