Clear Solar Panels Double As Projection Screens

EnergyEfficient writes "Metropolis Magazine has an article about a company that is producing transparent solar panels. The panels 'can generate 3.8 watts of electricity per square foot, an above-average level of efficiency.' They come in a thick version that can be used for glazing buildings. Imagine if all those glass skyscrapers could also produce power! As an interesting aside, they can also be used as screens for projection TV units."

Brainstorm

[DoraLives]

"I know, we'll make a solar panel that lets the light just go right through it! What a great idea!

Does it play d00m?

[gtoomey]

This amorphous silicon technology has a three-in-one functionality: it is able to act as a glazing element, solar panel, and video display screen.

Those Japanese think of everything - a video screen that generates it own power & keeps the rain out!

Re:Whats the point

[isorox]

Most glass is mounted vertically so it will only be good in the mornings/afternoons.....

Unlike horizontally mounted stuff which is good at night?

No Dumbass

[pHatidic]

The point is that you can use it with projector TVs. The light from the projector creates the power to run the projector, duh! I'm running over to walmart to buy one for my for my fan powered sailboat right now.

...can generate 3.8 watts of electricity...

[Chordonblue]

Gee, imagine what they could do with OPAQUE ones!

Re:Fantastic

[NanoGator]

"The first is simply to make more efficient use of natural light!"

Heh. Where I work, our computer screens light the room.

Wait a minute here....

[fireman sam]

Are you saying that ALL computers, including the Linux boxes will be powered by Windows.

Arrrrgggghhhhhhh

Re:Whats the point

[drinkypoo]

speaking of things passing overhead, that sound you just heard, a sort of cross between a whistle and a rush of wind, was the sound of a joke passing you by. as a slashdot coward, doubtless you were unfamiliar with the subject matter...

just cause

[slartibarfast]

Why don't we just install a "Spaceballs" style solar glass enclosure around the earth at 26000 miles from the center? Just high enough to keep the geostationary satellites inside (wouldn't want to lose our tv). The surface area should be about.

131,657,416,704,000,000 sq/ft

and cost

$5,924,583,751,680,000,000

in raw materials (maybe we could get a bulk discount)
we should also try to cash in on a "free installation"

The output of such a sphere would be

500,298,183,475,200,000 watts continuous

Or (for sake of easier calculation in an already complicated process) if only half of the sphere received light at any given time

250,149,091,737,600,000 watts continuous
250,149,091,737.6 kW continuous
250.15 Petawatt continuous

Power demand in 2002 for the entire world
13,747,393,531.8 kW continuous
0.0137474 Petawatt continuous

sure every living thing on earth would probably die and we would enter a perpetual ice age from the lack of light and heat but, you could throw away the sunscreen and with all that extra energy maybe we could string up some halogens or something along the inside! We could also sell advertising space on it.

All conversions made with http://www.onlineconversion.com/ [onlineconversion.com]
Power consumption data from http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/total.ht ml#IntlConsumption [doe.gov]
Geostationary orbit data from how http://octopus.gma.org/surfing/imaging/howhigh.htm l [gma.org]
Radius of the earth from http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/ikenoue/e-mode/earth. html [sannet.ne.jp] (seems accurate)
Output and cost from RFTA

If you think that my math is wrong then check and let me know, too tired to think anymore.