Scientists at Michigan State University have created a transparent solar concentrator that could turn any window or sheet of glass into a photovoltaic solar cell. The team is certain the panels could be used in an extensive variety of settings, from "tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader." Photovoltaic solar cells create energy by absorbing photons from sunlight and converting them into electricity. If the material is transparent, it implies that the majority of the light passes through the medium without being absorbed. This is why previous transparent solar cells have been tinted with solar film, which casts a noticeable shadow. To overcome this, the MSU researchers used a distinctive new system for accumulating sunlight. As opposed to attempting to make a transparent photovoltaic, they created a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC). The TLSC is made of natural salts that absorb wavelengths of ultra-violet and infrared light that glow as an alternate wavelength of infrared light, which is non-visible. The infrared light is directed to the edge, where thin strips of conventional photovoltaic solar cells convert it into electricity. The TLSC at present has an effectiveness of around 1%, and researchers are working to reach at least 5%. Non-transparent luminescent concentrators max out around 7%. When the transparent solar panels are put up on a bigger scale, in a large building, the numbers could quickly add up.
