Engineers from the University of Michigan have developed a transparent solar battery. The device can be used in windows and displays of various gadgets.
The panel is based on a thin film of organic molecules that absorb the light of the “invisible” part of the spectrum: ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
According to the researchers, if all the glass in the US is supplemented with transparent solar panels, the energy received from them will be enough to cover 40% of all Americans’ needs for electricity.
Currently, the efficiency of traditional solar panels is 15 – 18%. The efficiency of the new transparent battery is slightly above 5%.
