A new way of capturing solar energy by taking advantage of architecture.
Global energy demand continues to rise, which is why it is necessary to find new ways to capture it. Now, scientists in China have developed a new way to do this by applying a translucent coating to a window to direct the energy from ambient light to the edge of the glass, where it can be captured and stored.
Since 2010, the cost of solar installations has fallen dramatically, resulting in more than four million installations in the United States. This is an upward trend, but it could go even further if building windows were used. This is what scientists set out to address in a study published in the journal PhotoniX.
New technologies to meet global energy demand
Windows that generate solar energy are a technology that already exists, but they are expensive and inefficient because they only capture up to 20% of sunlight. In addition, the tinting of these solar windows dims the light entering a room. Now, scientists at Nanjing University in China have developed a cholesteric liquid crystal, a colourless liquid capable of reflecting light thanks to its helical structure.
This technology is expected to be implemented more effectively in cities near the equator, as they tend to have more hours of sunshine per year than cities closer to the poles.
