On the Aesthetics of Solar Panels

One major impediment to more widespread popularity for solar home systems has been aesthetic value. Many homeowners and community organizations have frowned at the prospect of large, unsightly, glaring solar panels on their roofs or in their yards. In an age of regimented color schemes and tiny satellite dishes, the solar panel, despite its energy-saving benefits, has faced an uphill battle. But the industry has responded. There is now an industry-wide race to perfect an aesthetically pleasing and cost effective solar array.

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Can solar get any better? Ongoing research exists to make sure it just keeps getting better – in efficiency, appearance, and cost. But what’s out there now may offer more than you think. Harvesting solar energy can be versatile and fun, making this innovative trend alluring in more ways than one. Here are ten of them.

1. The sun leaves coal in the dust. And while it is the most vital form of energy accessible to us, the sun is still largely untapped. In fact, the energy we get from all of the world’s reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas can be matched by just 20 days’ supply of sunshine.
2. Solar lights work at night. Most people think solar technology is useless once the sun goes down, but this isn’t the case. Solar energy can be converted and stored in batteries, where LED lights retrieve their power. Also, grid-tied solar panels work in conjunction with your home’s power system at all hours of the day.
3. Solar panels work indoors. At least, they will soon, if Anna Dyson from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York has a say. Her work entails new solar panels made of glass and designed for the window panes of buildings. Thanks to thin lenses that capture light and focus it onto solar cells, these indoor solar panels are being geared to supply up to 50 percent of the energy required for buildings to operate.
4. Solar panels work in the cold. Solar power generation depends on light, not heat, and there’s enough of it in the entire U.S. to support solar panels. Even where the roofs are covered with snow.
5. Solar water heaters can meet about 60 to 70 percent of a home’s hot water needs annually. Capabilities drop during the winter and in colder climates. Because of this, solar water heaters are usually used in conjunction with a traditional back up system. The most common type of solar water heater consists of an active system that utilizes pumps and controls to circulate water between a collector, a well-insulated storage tank, and the home. Passive systems, on the other hand, don’t use pumps but rely on gravity and natural circulation for hot water distribution.
6. Solar improvement draws from all things, including moths. Apparently, moths help scientists make more effective panels. Moth eyes are built to be non-reflective, and scientists are now incorporating this trait into panels. Less light reflected means more light absorbed for electricity generation.
7. Your fish tank can serve as a heat storing water wall. Water walls offer a 10 to 20 percent advantage over slightly larger masonry walls in moderate climates. In addition, energy savings in heating and cooling can be expected in the 70 to 90 percent range. Just make sure to buy the right fish that can stand the heat.
8. As you can see from our fish tank example, solar heating does not rely on mechanical or electrical devices. Passive solar heating depends on building structure and design and is advantageous for its low operation and maintenance costs.
9. Window shades can be transparent and protective at the same time. When you don’t want to let all the sun’s goodness indoors, solar shades reduce solar transmittance by up to 96 percent. They reduce cooling costs in the summer and help prevent furniture damage and fading. All of this while being transparent, giving you a full view of the outdoors.
10. Solar powered homes are in demand. When you build the sun into your home’s energy supply, you lower your monthly bills and raise the desirability of your investment.

Have you called CalFinder Solar? Get a free estimate on your solar panel installation from a certified solar contractor.

It’s a question we’ll ask every week, because there’s always something new in solar.

This week, all the green blogs are talking about them. They look like they belong at a kid’s birthday party, but they’re really working to get the highest efficiency out of solar cells. They are solar balloons, designed to drastically reduce the material and weight of photovoltaic technology. Made by CoolEarth, the balloons are poised to comprise the next generation of power plants. With their lightweight material, they have the potential to make solar power as affordable as natural gas while remaining clean and renewable. Because of their unusual bowl-like shape, sunlight is always directed toward their center without the need for additional tracking. CoolEarth just received $21 million in funding, so someone believes in them. A lot!

Link: Solar Balloons: CoolEarth Gets $21 Million in Funding

Solar balloons are interesting and certainly promising, but what about indoor solar panels? Thanks to the work of Anna Dyson from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, they may soon become a reality. Comprised of thin lenses that capture light and focus it onto solar cells, the new system features an innovative approach to sensing sunlight. All the pieces of the new solar panels will be made of glass and are designed for the window panes of buildings. With a combined heat and power efficiency of nearly 80 percent, supporters believe the indoor solar panels will supply up to 50 percent of the energy required for buildings to operate.

Link: Bringing Sunlight Inside