TRANSPARENT SOLAR PANELS ARE THE FUTURE OF ENERGY

Sustainable and clean energy sources are being used globally, probably not to the extent that we'd all hope for, but it is on the right path nevertheless.

The more you delve into renewable energy sources, the more you realise that there are so many different alternatives. Think wind energy, tidal energy, solar energy and even nuclear energy. Certain countries prefer different methods depending on the efficiency due to natural phenomena, such as wind farms in windy environments.

But now, physicists are working on a new form of solar panel that is completely transparent. This will be groundbreaking technology, and will appeal to different markets around the globe. You could literally turn a car's windshield into a free energy source to power up specific functions of a vehicle. The architectural and construction industry will be drastically improved as now the main window panes and skylights can harvest solar energy without having to compromise the aesthetics.

But how exactly do transparent solar panels work?

Transparent solar panels work by harvesting energy from a wider scale of frequencies across the electromagnetic spectrum, but not visible light. Visible light makes up only a tiny portion of all radiation emitted by the sun. These solar panels are made with the help of transparent luminescent solar concentrators which are composed of microscopic salt compounds that efficiently absorb invisible wavelengths of light such as infrared, ultraviolet and gamma rays. Due to the structure of these salt particles, the energy is dispersed outwards towards the edges of the pane of glass, which are then harvested by photovoltaic strips.

Take a look at the video below by the YouTube channel, VISION, on Why Transparent Solar Panels Are The Future...