US researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
have developed a system that turns windows into a solar
collector, letting people see clearly while collecting
energy.
A coating on the glass channels photons of light to a solar
collector around the edge of the window, MIT electrical
engineer Marc Baldo and colleagues report in Friday's edition
of the journal Science.
"We think this is a practical technology for reducing the
cost of solar power," Baldo said in a statement.
The glass coatings absorb incoming light and then re-emit the
energy into the glass, which conducts it to solar cells. The
coatings can vary from bright colours to chemicals that are
mostly transparent.
The materials are not expensive and can be added to existing
solar panels, the researchers said, adding that they believe
the technology could find its way to the marketplace within
three years. AP rq
