According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar electricity use in the United States increased by 34% in 2014 versus 2013. As the popularity of solar panels grows larger, the cost of the power source drops, making it an even more viable option to many consumers. As such, the SEIA also estimates that the cost to install solar technologies has dropped by over 73% since 2006.
One of the major drawbacks of solar panels is their aesthetic impact, which only allows for a very small amount of light to pass through, as well as the overall size and weight of each panel, which can impact the structural integrity of an existing building.
Ubiquitous Energy has created a solar energy solution that allows light to pass through it, while still collecting an adequate amount of solar energy. The exciting thing for the construction industry is that the less than 1/1000th millimeter thick film can be applied to the windows of a building and collect energy, without affecting the amount of light entering the building.
Its secret is that the invisible solar film only absorbs the non-visible light rays: the ultraviolet and infrared. Due to only harvesting two-thirds of the available light, the film does not perform as well as its non-transparent cousins, but it makes up for that fact by allowing solar harvesting where typically unavailable before. Ubiquitous also hopes to use this technology as a power source for mobile devices, which would make charging your devices a thing of the past
As the video below by Bloomberg Business points out, this material has the potential to be applied to the windows of a skyscraper, which would make a huge dent in the need for external power sources.
Invisible Solar Cells That Could Power Skyscrapers | Bloomberg Business
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Like most of the other electric machines that have been announced previously, Volvo promises that this midsized, 14 metric ton excavator will have the same performance as a similarly sized diesel version. The X03 is currently in the concept stage, so Volvo does not have immediate plans to bring it to market, but it shows the possibilities that electronics on heavy machinery can allow for.