![]() Unfortunately, since their introduction, Sharp hasn’t made any more announcements about the product and a quick search of their solar site doesn’t yield any help.ĮnergyGlass – EnergyGlass uses “Patented Inorganic Nano Technology” – presumably quantum dots like we describe above – to create transparent solar windows without any visible lines or dots. This equates to about 6 watts per square foot – about in line with other solar windows on this list. The smallest panel produces about 39 to 46 watts, the middle-sized 66-77 watts, and the largest 80-95 watts. The windows are about 40” tall by either 28”, 45”, or 55” wide. Sharp – In 2013, Sharp introduced a transparent, but shaded, solar window using dye-sensitized solar cells. Who Makes Solar Windows?Ī few different companies either currently manufacture solar windows or are testing them for commercialization. We’ll examine these two challenges later on. However, it hasn’t quite caught on yet in the residential market.īeyond space issues though, the twin issues of efficiency and cost are the two main drawbacks to solar windows. So you need a lot of flat, open space to install them.īig commercial buildings typically have a lot of flat, open space that is perfect for BIPV and it’s already somewhat common. BIPV typically sees lower efficiency than conventional silicon solar panels, so you need a LOT of them to really make it worthwhile. You don’t even know they’re producing electricity! They’re completely integrated into the actual home. ![]() In some instances, you wouldn’t even know it’s there! Think about Tesla’s new solar shingles – one of the biggest moves forward for residential BIPV. Instead of simply bolted to the top of the roof, BIPV is hidden in the actual building. It’s much sleeker and inconspicuous than conventional solar panels.The installation process is more efficient than with conventional solar panels, since you’re constructing the building AND the solar installation at the same time.Again, this is exactly what it sounds like: solar cells (ie photovoltaics) integrated into an actual building, not just installed afterward. Solar windows are a very exciting part of what’s called Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). It’s all pretty confusing to explain (and understand for myself), so here’s a quick video on how quantum dot solar windows work: The solar cells absorb that light and turn it into electricity. Basically, the quantum dots absorb non-visible sunlight (like ultraviolet rays) then shoot them back out at solar cells on the sides of the window pane. Instead of using silicon, which is deep blue and completely opaque, to harvest electricity like most conventional solar panels, solar windows use something called quantum dots. Solar windows are exactly what they sound like! They’re transparent windows that also absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity. Now if only the cost would go down! Let’s take a look a solar window’s cost and see how they work. When compared to ‘conventional’ silicon panels that we see all over rooftops, they see extremely low efficiency and very high costs.Įven still, solar windows and other building-integrated solar cells (like Tesla’s solar shingles) certainly represent what solar can, and most likely will, be in the future: integrated, hidden, and sleek. Only a handful of companies are actually manufacturing them and, while they are certainly super-cool, they’re still miles away from being commercially viable. Currently, solar windows are still in the nascent stages. If you’re ready to hop on this bandwagon, don’t jump quite yet. I mean, how cool would it be to look out your window and know that they’re producing electricity right then, as you enjoy the view?īut while there are one or two companies actually manufacturing solar windows, many questions remain: are they really a viable option? Can you install them on your home? And finally, how much do they cost? You might have heard talk that solar windows are going to be the next big thing in solar. Solar Windows Cost How much do solar windows cost? Are they a viable alternative?Īsking how much solar windows cost is really putting the cart before the horse.
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