Curtains will always and forever be the best window-based invention, with bird feeders in 2nd place. (don't @ me). Third place was once a battlefield where stained glass, drive-throughs, and dynamic "Open" signs were locked in an endless battle - until now! Solar Windows have researchers and startups dreaming about turning every city skyline into a self-powering monument to clean energy.
⚗️The science! Unlike silicon solar panels, the windows would use a dye-like material that gives solar windows a transparent but tinted look, in whatever color the builder wants. Current versions of the dye-based solar cells are small enough to hold in your hand, with windows that convert 7% of the Sun's radiation into electricity. Researchers believe they can reach 10%, just 5% less than current silicon-based panels.