Best known for developing and popularizing Post-It Notes, the multinational conglomerate 3M has recently revealed their innovative Solar Film, a transparent sheet that harvests sunlight without obscuring your window's view.
On display for the first time at the CEATEC electronics conference in Japan, Solar Film made an immediate splash upon the revelation that one square inch of the coating was enough to charge an iPhone under peak sunlight. The obvious shortcoming is that the film only collects 20% of the usable light that traditional solar cells can. On the upside, however, the fact that Solar Film absorbs and reflects considerable light means it will provide considerable shade during those bright, arid summer days. This invention effectively allows users to shade themselves while collecting and exploiting the sun's natural energy, and all without disturbing one's interior decor.
What's Driving This Trend
- Transparent Solar Cells
- Opportunity for developing solar cells that can be integrated into windows without compromising visibility.
- Efficient Solar Film
- Opportunity to improve the light absorption and collection capabilities of transparent solar films.
- Dual-purpose Solar Technology
- Opportunity to create solar technologies that provide shade while harvesting sunlight.
Who This Affects Most
- Renewable Energy
- Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop transparent solar cells for buildings and vehicles.
- Architecture and Construction
- Opportunity to integrate transparent solar cells into windows and facades of buildings.
- Consumer Electronics
- Opportunity to explore the use of efficient solar films for charging devices and powering electronics.
