Solar Window Film
Developed By Konarka And Arch
The idea of a solar window film that provides a measure of shade while at the same time generating electricity has been around for a while. Now the research-based company Konarka looks like making this idea a commercial reality.Konarka's new plastic based solar cells can be produced very cheaply and are transparent and lightweight, making them an ideal candidate for this role. Konarka has teamed up with Arch Aluminium and Glass to develop what they call Active Solar Glass (ASG). In this, a layer of the transparent solar cells is placed between two sheets of glass. The solar material is able to be tinted in a range of eye pleasing colors. Other benefits of the material is that is can harvest energy from light at virtually any angle, and can even convert light from inside the building back into electricity. At present the solar material still has a fairly low conversion rate of about 6% and has a limited lifespan. Konarka is working to improve these statistics and as they move ahead in this area, their partnership with Arch will surely flourish. It's nice to imagine a glass covered office block acting as a power generator rather than just a drain on the electricity grid.
11 May 2009
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