New Technology Can Convert Windows Into Solar Panels

Solar panels are one of the best sources of energy and scientists have discovered a new technology where a common window can be converted to store solar power. The Sun's rays can be stored and preserved for decades in a new method developed by scientists from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.

Windows To Trap Solar Power

The scientists have developed a new chemical and a new type of storage device. Once deployed, the lithium-ion batteries used today can easily be dysfunctional. The scientists say the system has a special molecule containing carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. When the Sun's rays come in contact with this molecule, a new type of chemically-driven solar power is generated.

The solar power generated here lowers the environmental footprint. The scientists say the molecule is used to make a type of laminate that can be applied to the windows, car shields, clothes, and more. The solar energy trapped in the molecule can then be transferred.

Solar Powered Molecule

The solar energy trapped in the molecule doesn't require materials like silicon that is commonly found on conventional solar panels. The scientists say that the molecules with solar power also don't require electricity to distribute or release, once the heat is generated. The solar-powered molecule can last up to two decades, scientists say.

In comparison, a lithium-ion battery lasts roughly for five-ten years. And not to forget the environmental impact and e-waste generated by the disposed batteries. At the moment, the newly developed solar-powered molecule can produce only heat. The scientists are currently working on converting the heat into electricity. The project had received $2.5 million of funding, where the scientists have worked on it for roughly a decade.

The scientists say the product will be available for the average customer in six years, who can use the new technology for their homes, cars, etc. The research scientists are currently looking for funding that can turn their invention into a mass commercial project.