Window doubles as solar panel

New technology from Pythagoras Solar has resulted in the development of what the company is calling the industry’s “first energy efficient, transparent and high power-density photovoltaic glass unit. The new product could show up in curtain walls (like the one shown below), skylights or windows by the second half of 2010.

The company has signed deals with manufacturers including Arkema, China Sunergy and Flextronics in order to get the new technology to market as quickly as possible.
Gonen Fink, co-founder and CEO of Phythagoras Sola, says the new material should help construction companies bridge the gap between materials that are energy efficient and aesthetically appealing. The material combines insulating qualities, shading and lighting benefits AND, as implied, solar generation features. So, it both blocks the sun to keep it cool inside and captures sunlight to create solar energy. The video below talks about how the technology works: