I've been hearing about this for years. The fact that it never materialized is a sign that it probably doesn't make sense economically.
this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2026
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Or because people want windows to let light into their homes?
Solar panels make sense on roofs, not windows
I’ve seen a large installation in person and they light plenty of light in, but aren’t quite clear so you can’t really enjoy the view out as you would with a normal window.
They would make good skylights in an office situation when you want natural light but don’t need to see out of them.
I sorta was thinking there are only so many windows in my place that we really look out for the view. talked to my wife and we agreed that we would be fine with a less than clear view for everything in our place outside of the balcony and the master bedroom.
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Boston’s logan airport has them in the newest terminal.
They work, but scatter light in a weird way and heat up the space dramatically. Granted that these are floor to ceiling 2 story windows, might have been hot either way, but can’t have reflective coating with solar.
Yes! Efficient window coatings are typically reflective or the light you don't want. This is the opposite.
Nice in the winter, I suppose.
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Doesn’t make sense economically/for big corporations.
Why not just put the solar panel next to the window so you don't have to cover it at all? The more light a panel absorbes, the more efficient it is, which is kind of the exact opposite type of thing that you would want to cover a window with if you still want it to be a window. I'm not even going to bother addressing the inefficiencies of harvesting indoor light, other than to say it's idiotic.
I mean, couldn't you take a solar panel and make it like an awning above the window or something? Have a system where it can pull into the window to be flush with the building if you want.
That's not a bad idea. Solar shutters could work also.
You want to use solar panels to both collect solar energy AND provide shade to residents within the building? Sounds a bit too efficient for my tastes. Let's put ugly brown tints on the windows instead and collect a fraction of the energy at 10x the cost.
This seems more like an alternative to tinting films. So you can harvest the energy that would otherwise be lost.
Is it required to absorb all light or just some spectrum or whatever that called?
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This is awesome. I want em.
They found the bare device retained 80% of its efficiency over 300 hours
Thats pretty bad. A regular PV panel would hit that level of degradation after about 20 years.
You don't want to replace your windows every month?
I can see something like this as part of a system where we harvest energy from every possible surface if eventually becomes easy enough to produce and has a decent durability.
On some windows could make sense as permanent installations and on others they could be used as movable blinds.
Can we please stop pouring money into stupid ideas? Solar windows make as much sense as a water-soluble condom. It's the kind of hair-brained shit I'd expect to see Elon touting. An invention that is the antithesis of its purpose, dreamed up and funded by some methed out moron surrounded by yes-men and brown-nosers who is so out of touch with the world that he doesn't understand the innate purpose of the object, nor the application of the technology
At least they're smarter than the solar roadways guy?
IDK. The solar roadway guy was a marketing genius. The ability to sell so many people on something so patently absurd is seriously impressive.
I think it all boils down to "hey boss, I patented this new technology!", "great, let's shove it down people's throats, pour a bunch of money into getting this hyped in popsci magazines and online tech spaces, we're gonna make hundreds of millions of dollars before anyone realizes what a dumb fucking idea this is."
This is the nature of popsci journalism for sure. Combined with the startup funding (/grift, often) hype cycle... Ugly
One time I had a PR person from my school suit down in my office with me. He really wanted to hype oeut research. I was a wet blanket - probably overly so as I'm actually people-pleaser plus under-promise over-deliver which was incompatible.
I ended up kinda struggling and seeing how disappointment, almost annoyance, all I could say was 'go talk to [my professor], he's much better at this'
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indoor light
Oh man I can use my lightbulbs to generate electricity? Dude this is going to make a killing!
Fuck the years of the three laws of thermodynamics! Now is the time of the three laws of robotics!
Such a solarpunk vibe for everything inside to be tinged orange from your windows power generation. Absolute shame that this isn't really that useful just cool. No way a house with these would generate significant power
It wouldn't really need to generate "significant" power. At least, not in terms of whole-home power. Something like this could easily generate and store enough power for an auxiliary system, something like overnight lighting. Basically the same principle as those solar lawn lamps, but for inside. Wire 'em all to a battery and a bunch of lights and light/motion sensors throughout the home, and you've got automatic nightlights that work even when the power's out.
I have two sets of solar lights on my balcony that put out enough light to easily navigate by and it's one of the things in my place that was truly "set and forget". Having something passively collecting energy to use for later is nothing to sniff at
I mean, hey, solar powered calculators may have legitimately advance technology timelines.
Yeah exactly, not increadibly useful nothing groundbreaking but a very cool toy
I figure the key would be finding a way to make these cost less (including upkeep/replacement over time) than the marginal energy generation capabilities.
On that note, I'm sure there's a reason besides "everyone else is too stupid to think of it" but I wonder why solar window shutters aren't a thing.
Since usually sun is up, panels on roof more efficient, solar panel window or panel on shutter is like panel on wall but worse because window and shutter can open and close. When panel on wall will make sense then maybe window and shutter will appear. I have the ability of more eloquence, but why many word when few word do trick?
Is that a purely cost effectiveness thing or is concentration of photons necessary for conversion? I guess I'm asking if these work through multiphoton absorption or just single photon? If it's the first, is a lens array an option. Ignoring cost, that is (although it is impressive what can be done on the cheap)?
I'm sure these questions are solar 101 from 1935, but maybe you know!
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I wonder why solar window shutters aren’t a thing.
Because the source of light is mostly up in the sky, and solar panels work best when they are mostly perpendicular to the direction the light is shining.
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