What do you think about the new clear solar panels?

[msmit247]

I was curious as to what everyone thought about the new solar panels that are in development, you know... the one's that are completely clear? I see so many integrations if these become affordable that it might be worth investing in now, just to get in ahead of the bell curve. I was also hoping to maybe find someone that is more knowledgeable about them that has a blog post that I can link to from my site.

---Mod Note: Please do not include links to your commercial site. We are watching. URL removed.

[Mike90250]

Of course, a clear solar panel. That neither blocks nor reflects any light, So, how does it harvest any power without absorbing anything ?

[Logan5]

It's a Gimmick to sell fools junk they don't need.

[inetdog]

Of course, a clear solar panel. That neither blocks nor reflects any light, So, how does it harvest any power without absorbing anything ?

There has been discussion (but no commercial product that I am aware of) of optically clear (non distorting) films that reduce the amount of transmitted light much as sun reducing window films do currently. But with an electrode connection and PV output.
The two criteria for making something like that acceptable for windows, etc. are that it not degrade the view (transmitted image) much if at all and that it be either color neutral or produce a "good" change in color balance of the transmitted light.

If anyone has seen a commercially available product along those lines, please give a reference!

[J.P.M.]

There has been discussion (but no commercial product that I am aware of) of optically clear (non distorting) films that reduce the amount of transmitted light much as sun reducing window films do currently. But with an electrode connection and PV output.
The two criteria for making something like that acceptable for windows, etc. are that it not degrade the view (transmitted image) much if at all and that it be either color neutral or produce a "good" change in color balance of the transmitted light.

If anyone has seen a commercially available product along those lines, please give a reference!

FWIW, I have not, and I've been looking since the '70's. The idea's been looking for a solution for at least that long. My money's on the OP's being a scammer/fraud.

[Sunking]

It is called SPAM. Kill it before it grows.

[PNjunction]

Yet another technological investor-bait post. Says so right in the post.

But what do I know - these "TLSC" clear panels are precisely that because they operate in the ultraviolet region. From what I've read, efficiency is about 1%.

So yes, they can work, the problem, like ALL investor-bait schemes is that while the electrochemists work away in the lab, actually bringing the thing to market, at reasonable price \ performance ratios when it is turned over to sales/marketing is another.

As an investor, while technological achievements are laudible, the real investment you are making is in the sales/marketing team, and perhaps the legal team to fight off the NPE/patent trolls eagerly awaiting introducton. Sadly, much of an early-investors investment goes into the patent war-chest first, rather than to provide assistance to the lab to get them more efficient.

[PNjunction]

If anyone has seen a commercially available product along those lines, please give a reference!

I haven't seen anything commercially, unless one might be talking about Micheal Graetzel's DSSC's, or Dye Sensitized Solar Cells. Unlike the TLSC mentioned above, these are in use, although I've only seen them on Logitech solar keyboards. Not sure if one has the ability to adjust the dye color for interior design needs though.

Apparently very efficient even at low light levels. There might be much larger installations elsewhere - I'll have to research that.

From Michael himself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYVwJyQBXcM

Fascinating stuff, this artificial photosynthesis.