Many homeowners postpone the installation of solar panels because of their unsightly appearance: modules in black or dark blue, alas, do not always fail to fit into the design of a traditional home. UbiQD, based in Los Alamos, New Mexico, offers a solution to this problem with transparent solar panels: modules designed to be attached to the facade look like ordinary glass with a slight tint.
UbiQD batteries combine two commonly competing features: high light transmission and high efficiency. For example, panels do not just collect sunlight and convert it into electricity - they transmit up to 43% of visible light inside buildings, that is, they perform the same task as windows. At the same time, in terms of efficiency, transparent panels outperform their blue-black counterparts: their efficiency is more than 8%, while this figure for “ugly” batteries does not exceed 3%. The secret lies in the composition of the photocell inside the double-glazed unit: it is based on a carbonaceous or organic substance, while conventional manufacturers use silicon. The team is now trying to improve the technology by integrating quantum dots - nanoscale particles that can affect the range of absorbed light and, accordingly, improve the efficiency of converting solar energy into electrical energy.
UbiQD isn't the only company thinking about the look and feel of photovoltaic panels. Geldrop-based solar panel maker MyEnergySkin has tried to enhance the appeal of its products through design. With direct involvement from Kiki & Joost, the company has produced eight types of colorful tempered glass panels; two of them are intended for roofing, six for facades. The roof tile imitates various types of metal, the front tile has a more "fantasy content": the drawing of one of the models resembles a watercolor painting, the other resembles the surface of a brick wall, the inspiration for the third steel is the shadow cast by the leaves.
Tesla launched its own collection of roofing tiles capable of generating electricity four years ago. The four design options follow the texture of traditional roofing material.
