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UCLA's new transparent solar film could be game-changer

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Owen Densmore

UCLA's new transparent solar film could be game-changer

Administrator

Cool! Spray your windows and power your house!

-- Owen

http://phys.org/news/2012-08-ucla-transparent-solar-game-changer.html

One of the holy grails of solar cell technology may have been found, with researchers at UCLA announcing they have created a new organic polymer that produces electricity, is nearly transparent and is more durable and malleable than silicon.

The applications are mind-boggling. Windows that produce electricity. Buildings wrapped in transparent solar cells. Laptops and phones ?- or even cars or planes ?- whose outer coverings act as chargers. It might even be sprayed on as a liquid. The promise of cheap and easy-to-apply site-generated solar electricity might now be a lot closer to reality

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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Mike Orshan

Re: UCLA's new transparent solar film could be game-changer

Hi:

Since solar is my business I have a few comments. First, this is the holy grail of solar. If you can adhere films to windows and skylights etc. and get enough to power a house or building that's good. However, the two main issues are still issues. One is spectrum. Infrared is good because it is cool light. Still getting more spectrum will be important to increase efficiency that needs to get to 15%. I think commercial panels are closer to 17%, the article says 12%, but it is arguable. If this can attract diffused light that would be very critical because windows are all over the house and rarely in direct sunlight. The other issue is to move current via a conductor. Nano deals with different particles that need new metals. Years ago gold was the only metal capable, now, probably with nano powders, maybe they came up with something new. This also needs to be affordable.

I think it is great movement forward. I do track this and appreciate the article.

Mike

On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 9:50 AM, Owen Densmore <[hidden email]> wrote:

Cool! Spray your windows and power your house!

-- Owen

http://phys.org/news/2012-08-ucla-transparent-solar-game-changer.html

One of the holy grails of solar cell technology may have been found, with researchers at UCLA announcing they have created a new organic polymer that produces electricity, is nearly transparent and is more durable and malleable than silicon.

The applications are mind-boggling. Windows that produce electricity. Buildings wrapped in transparent solar cells. Laptops and phones ?- or even cars or planes ?- whose outer coverings act as chargers. It might even be sprayed on as a liquid. The promise of cheap and easy-to-apply site-generated solar electricity might now be a lot closer to reality

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

Owen Densmore

Re: UCLA's new transparent solar film could be game-changer

Administrator

Check out today's Hacker News: http://news.ycombinator.com/news

You can click on the comments links for good discussions:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4772481
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4772971

Unlike /. the comments here generally stay on-topic. :)

-- Owen

On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 10:04 AM, Mike Orshan <[hidden email]> wrote:

Hi:

Since solar is my business I have a few comments. First, this is the holy grail of solar. If you can adhere films to windows and skylights etc. and get enough to power a house or building that's good. However, the two main issues are still issues. One is spectrum. Infrared is good because it is cool light. Still getting more spectrum will be important to increase efficiency that needs to get to 15%. I think commercial panels are closer to 17%, the article says 12%, but it is arguable. If this can attract diffused light that would be very critical because windows are all over the house and rarely in direct sunlight. The other issue is to move current via a conductor. Nano deals with different particles that need new metals. Years ago gold was the only metal capable, now, probably with nano powders, maybe they came up with something new. This also needs to be affordable.

I think it is great movement forward. I do track this and appreciate the article.

Mike

On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 9:50 AM, Owen Densmore <[hidden email]> wrote:

Cool! Spray your windows and power your house!

-- Owen

http://phys.org/news/2012-08-ucla-transparent-solar-game-changer.html

One of the holy grails of solar cell technology may have been found, with researchers at UCLA announcing they have created a new organic polymer that produces electricity, is nearly transparent and is more durable and malleable than silicon.

The applications are mind-boggling. Windows that produce electricity. Buildings wrapped in transparent solar cells. Laptops and phones ?- or even cars or planes ?- whose outer coverings act as chargers. It might even be sprayed on as a liquid. The promise of cheap and easy-to-apply site-generated solar electricity might now be a lot closer to reality

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org