# Solar-Powered Paints This Solar House Paint Can Produce Endless Amounts of Clean Energy By Ell Smith | Published 2017-06-19 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-powered-paint References: [phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2017-06-solar-endless-energy-vapor.html) & [rmit.edu.au](https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2017/jun/solar-paint-offers-endless-energy-from-water-vapour) Researchers at RMIT have developed a spreadable solar-powered house paint that can produce an unlimited supply of clean energy. The substance is comprised of a compound that looks and feels like silica gel but acts as a semiconductor. The paint can collect moisture in the air which in turn, can be split into oxygen and hydrogen, the hydrogen, can then be "captured as a clean fuel source." As researcher Dr Torben Daeneke from Australia's RMIT says: "Titanium oxide is the white pigment that is already commonly used in wall paint, meaning that the simple addition of the new material can convert a brick wall into energy harvesting and fuel production real estate." Solar-powered paint essentially makes fuel from the sun and water vapor in the air, providing the consumer with the advantage of a low-cost, energy-efficient and environmentally responsible alternative. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 75% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Spreadable Solar-powered Paint:** The use of this paint creates an opportunity for industries to develop low-cost energy-efficient products. - **Clean Energy Production Via Solar Paint:** Industries can explore opportunities to leverage this to provide a cheap and clean solution for electricity production. - **Wireless Power Generation:** This innovation could lead to the creation of new industries that cater to the wireless supply of power using this paint technology. ### Who This Affects Most - **Construction:** The use of solar-paint technology allows the construction industry to explore options for energy-efficient and environmentally responsible buildings. - **Renewable Energy Production:** The use of this paint presents an opportunity for industries to develop new and innovative ways of producing clean, renewable energy. - **Automotive:** This paint technology can find its way into the automotive industry to power up electric vehicles and create a greener and cleaner transportation system. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Ultra-Thin Solar Panel Coatings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-panel-2.md) - [Climate-Responsive Color-Changing Paints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorchanging-paint-1.md) - [Sleek Pollution-Reducing Paints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecos-1.md) - [Flexible Solar Film Energy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heliafilm.md) - [Solar-Powered Sleek Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-solaris.md) - [Heritage Building-Blending Solar Panels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invisible-solar.md) - [Cooling Vehicle Paint Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paint-technology.md) - [Consolidated Photovoltaic Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photovoltaic-systems.md) - [Lunar Material-Based Solar Cells](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunar-dust.md)