Treehugger has this entry about a very exciting new technology that could make harnessing the energy of the sun not just easier, but also in keeping with the glass framed esthetics of modern buildings: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/solar-photovoltaic-window-system-rsi-solar.php A company called RSI Solar has developed windows that are transparent like normal glass windows and which convert sunlight falling on them into electricity. I can see how valuable this would be in the huge software complexes that are being built all over India not to mention large office blocks which try to mimic buildings in North America if the owners of the buildings were to replace their regular windows with these. And there is an additional benefit - these windows would also reduce heating inside and make the demand for power required for airconditioning smaller. All in all an excellent option for improving energy efficiency while keeping the appearance of buildings conventional.
RSI Solar's website is: http://www.solar.tm/ Do check the link out.
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I've been researching and applying whatever solar tech I can get my hands on over the years. I was aware of thin-film solar for years, and it took a lot of work to get access to it before it finally started hitting the "market" (it still isn't easily worked its way into common use yet even though its been out there for years) I had heard about transparent solar photovoltaic for quite a while. I'm dissappointed in how little information is available and how much is couched in almost "cloak and dagger" stuff. RSI's "site" is completely inaccessible unless you e-mail them to get a UserID and Password. You cannot even see press releases. That's just plain weird. I know, most people would accept this as some sort of "corporate protection" aspect, but I don't buy it. There are all sorts of ways to issue public releases, and setting up your site that way is just odd. Also--why do they keep restricting practical application of this type of technology to some west coast state? What is that all about? So much of this is being handled so oddly--I don't get it. It all reminds me of the EV1, which you could only lease in California, then they suddenly removed it from the market without explanation.
I'm also watching the tech of "solar paint". Imagine being able to paint any object and turn it into a solar photovoltaic collector.
Hello Hugh,
Thanks for posting on my blog. I agree with you completely on the silly restrictions that some companies impose on their websites requiring visitors to register in order to check the website out - there are certainly better ways to kep track of who visits a website and how many times.
I also agree with you completely on the obsession that many companies have with restricting the marketing of green tech to California alone, and, occasionally, to other west coast states. That said, my feeling is that this happens to be the case because these companies do not have the money to market their products over a broader area, or that they simply do not care for some reason.
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