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MIT Opens New 'Window' on Solar Energy

web.mit.edu — Imagine windows that not only provide a clear view and illuminate rooms, but also use sunlight to efficiently help power the building they are part of.

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  • canewediggit, on 07/11/2008, -0/+39how dare you submit the actual original article from the actual source? haven't you seen the regurgitated blogspam that we obviously prefer here? you've got some nerve.
  • dannybht, on 07/12/2008, -0/+9I hate you MIT! Always coming up with mind blowing technology...
    • Mootabolife, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1Wouldn't this also act to tint the glass since it would be taking sunlight away from going inside?
  • forestjohnson, on 07/12/2008, -4/+2Actually, this probably won't go anywhere. I've heard this kind of thing for 5 years now and people are still buying the same old inefficient photovoltaics.

    I'd love to see this, but something seems to be stopping these things from reaching market. Personally, I'll blame shady business in the enrgy industry.
    • santaliqueur, on 07/12/2008, -0/+5"Probably won't go anywhere?" We'd better forward your post to MIT before they dedicate any more of their brilliant minds towards this project.
    • MorganMghee, on 07/13/2008, -0/+1Oh you'd be surprised what $150/barrel oil will inspire.
  • drunkirish, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3Okay, but how is the White House going to spin this technology as not feasible?
    • MorganMghee, on 07/13/2008, -0/+1Oh, you must have been typing your question as the answer was being posted ...look up^
  • sciencesays, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3Very, very cool
  • B08ama, on 07/12/2008, -0/+2This is more useful than Runescape coal.
  • burjzyntski, on 07/12/2008, -0/+6Going to MIT has always been/was a dream of mine.
    Imagine, you get to think of something -anything-, an almost unlimited budget to build it -whatever it is-, (+make digg frontpage) and then make money off selling patents.
    Too bad I didn't do any homework in high school, pretty much killing my GPA.
    Epic self-fail :'(

    Congrats on bringing another rather obvious idea to life.
    • forestjohnson, on 07/12/2008, -0/+2Don't be so sad: MIT ***** undergrads anyway. Go to a smaller school that focuses on teaching. You can still make things!

      PS: http://www.ctcl.com/
      • Dalrek, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1This is going to sound silly, but listen. I go to Georgia Tech. I'm quite positive that the faculty doesn't really care too much for the undergrads here either. I prefer it that way. The tests are the same as if they cared, but it teaches people to better learn on their own. It really helps to separate the bright and/or dedicated from the rest, as well.

        And unfortunately, those smaller schools don't have the name MIT does. That's just a fact of life. He'll be able to go as high in the end, but getting that foot in the door will be slightly harder.
    • santaliqueur, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1Grades still won't get you in alone. I dated a girl in high school who was the valedictorian of about 800 students. 4.0 GPA, only one A- and the rest of her grades were A, all through high school. She was denied entrance into MIT, and it shocked her.

      To get in there, you have to be head and shoulders above the super brilliant kids.
      • kiedesu, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1Maybe that A- is the problem.
      • santaliqueur, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1It was in gym class, senior year. She was pissed about it.
  • Gymbo, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1Now I think I will cry when a bird hits my window...
    • xexx, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1I shoot birds who hit my window, usually they do it about 200 times before I can't stand it anymore. Damn territorial redbirds who always attack their reflection...
  • mecharabbit, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1Please clarify: Is this Windows or windows? You don't want to be caught in any sort of copyright infringement.
  • GT35R, on 07/12/2008, -2/+1and like all other good ideas, this will probably never see the light of day outside of a lab.
  • derbestemann, on 07/12/2008, -0/+0RWTH Aachen University are working on that for some time now, too. They believe they can produce a solar cell coat for the whole house for like 2 cents per square meter
  • endurance242, on 07/12/2008, -0/+0I'm pretty sure something along these lines was tested long ago. I remember reading about how it was to the point where a house using energy efficient appliances, made completely of glass (the dyed windows), could power itself in a place such as Australia. I think they mentioned that because power isn't so expensive it makes no sense, yet.

    I think a different source discussing a similar idea described how in a few years we could be printing these dyed windows right out of a printer at home.
  • daaaveg, on 07/12/2008, -2/+1this has already been done.

    From the website of Applied Materials, Inc. :
    Thin Film Solar Technology
    Thin Film (TF) solar technology is an emerging solution for solar electricity production. Rather than using silicon wafers to build the Photovoltaic device, TF is manufactured on glass. Glass substrates require less sophistication to manufacture, making them more abundant than silicon wafers and less costly. The active silicon layer is deposited using almost identical processes as those used to make LCD TFT flat panel displays. By piggybacking on the scale of manufacturing used in the display industry, Applied is able to bring volume manufacturing of large sized substrates to the solar industry.

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