Swiss Company Creates near Invisible Solar Modules

The Swiss company, Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), has announced that they have developed the world’s first white solar modules. According to the company, this will allow for a more visually appealing solar module, which will blend into buildings to become virtually invisible.

The current blue-black solar modules are built to maximize sunlight absorption, whereas a white solar module was previously not a color option due to the fact that the color would generally reflect light, rather than absorbing it.

This from CSEM:

CSEM has developed a new technology to make white solar modules, with no visible cells and connections, a reality. It combines a solar cell technology able to convert infrared solar light into electricity and a selective scattering filter, which scatters the whole visible spectrum while transmitting infrared light. Any solar technology based on crystalline silicon can now be used to manufacture white – and colored – modules.

Read the full article here.

The company believes that this innovative technology will be specifically appealing to the building industry, which is more aesthetically-minded.

In additional to a visual appeal, the new solar modules would have practical advantages as well. Because the white surface will reach lower temperatures under the sun and the light being reflected does not contribute heat, the company states that the solar cells are expected to work at temperatures 20-30° lower than standard modules.

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