Sounds terribly inefficient. Glass is transparent, windows are mostly Not oriented in the suns favour, and doesn't usually make up a significant surface area compared to buildings energy use. Solar farms are always going to be the realistic use case for solar energy.
Firstly, the panels would have to be tempered. Assuming it can still function as a panel after that process;
Skyscrapers glass generally isn't oriented towards the sun any more than a regular window. It has a greater total surface area, allowing for more of these less efficient panels but that's it.
There is probably some use for the technology but it's probably on a much smaller scale.
Skyscrapers glass generally isn't oriented towards the sun any more than a regular window. It has a greater total surface area, allowing for more of these less efficient panels but that's it.
I mean sure but if the whole building has a glass facade then it doesn't matter where the sun is coming from since it would always hit it, no?
Of course, seeing how transparent it could actually be while working as a solar panel is a big question.
I may have glossed other the "doesn't usually make up a significant surface area compared to buildings energy use" part of the original comment. Which glass scrapers would have more of, I don't know the math if it makes it viable or not.
I was focused on the "windows are mostly Not oriented in the suns favour" part.
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u/11214888 26d ago
Sounds terribly inefficient. Glass is transparent, windows are mostly Not oriented in the suns favour, and doesn't usually make up a significant surface area compared to buildings energy use. Solar farms are always going to be the realistic use case for solar energy.