Solar panel glass concept

Do you wish that tapping into solar power was as easy as replacing your windows?  Well, your dream is close to coming true.  In July, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced the successful development of “solar concentrators,” aka solar panel glass.  These specialized panes operate by collecting the energy from sunlight that strikes a window and then concentrating it at the edges of the pane, where solar cells are located.  Solar panel glass, when installed, would be an unobtrusive, efficient way to use solar energy to power your home or commercial building.  Looks like a “clear” option for solar power to me!

Solar panel glass has an increased efficiency over traditional solar panels by up to 100%.  Although the efficiency may be increased even more, for now, solar panel glass is most appropriate for office buildings with large areas covered by windows. Similar to solar paint, special dyes that absorb light are “painted” onto a pane of solar panel glass. When UV light strikes the specialized panes, solar energy is pushed out to the edges and collected, where it is harnessed on much smaller surfaces of solar cells.

Mark Baldo, the leading MIT researcher, explains the process:

Solar panel glass windows will be a more cost-effective way of utilizing renewable solar energy, than larger, more expensive solar panels. As excited as I am about these prospects, we will just have to wait a bit before retrofitting our homes and offices with solar panel glass.  Expect another 2-3 years before you’ll find solar panel glass on the market.  I can hardly wait!