New Solar Innovations

Solar energy is the way to go, and with some of the recent innovations that are coming out to make the move to a cleaner energy lifestyle, it is a no brainer. Renewable solar energy can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Solar panels tend to be the most common solar product and prove to be a great start, however, there are now so many more ways you can introduce solar energy into your daily life, even on a small scale. Keep reading to learn about new solar innovations that you can utilize in your homes, cars, and more!

If you want to dip your toe into the solar energy world, a great start would be to integrate solar energy on a small scale through the solar powered keyboard. This new solar innovation works just like any other keyboard, but it can be charged with sunlight, lamplight, and even itself. Through recent obstacles of having to work remotely, many of us are stuck on our computers all day. Why not help work towards a cleaner environment while working? If you are looking for a simple way to contribute to a greener future, a solar keyboard is a great place to start.

Another new solar innovation that is an alternative to solar panels or a great addition to use alongside solar panels are solar power shingles. Solar power shingles are known as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) shingles. Their core task is generating electricity while being able to mimic the appearance and function of conventional roofing materials like asphalt. This new renewable energy solution is a great way to start integrating solar energy into your home as it can blend in easily with your existing roofing. BIPV shingles can also be conveniently removed and reinstalled if you choose to move your home so you will be able to keep this investment wherever you end up!

If solar panels are not visually appealing to you, there is still a solar solution for you. Solar skin helps blend solar panels in with home and building aesthetics. Whether it is meant to blend in with roofing or the color of your home, or even be a surface for an advertisement, solar skin can have anything printed on it. This idea of solar skin was created and developed by two MIT engineers to help customize the look of solar panels so homeowners or potential buyers won’t have to shy away from solar energy due to aesthetic risks they may face. Solar skin is a flexible, transparent material that is very thin yet very efficient at producing electrical current when exposed to sunlight. This is due to the contained photoelectric particles called ‘Quantum Dot’s’. Solar skin is a great way to customize your solar panels; it’s even a great opportunity to take solar energy on the go if you integrate it on your car!

An innovation that is another effortless way to utilize more solar energy is through solar fabric. We all wear clothes every day whether it’s to school or work, why not integrate solar energy into your everyday wear. How does it work? The fiber in solar fabric absorbs energy from the sun and in turn allows you to produce energy that you can take on the go and do things like charge your phone whenever you need. Like all other solar products, the fabric is a type of material that has embedded photovoltaic cells that generate electricity when exposed to light.

One obvious problem with solar energy is that electricity can only be produced during the day. Researchers from the University of California claim that they have discovered a new solar cell that can generate electricity during the nighttime, a game changer for solar energy. These cells are known as Nighttime photovoltaic Cells (NPCs) and could help change the face of solar and attract more people to the solar energy world. Essentially, NSPs would invert the concept of conventional solar panels being cold and the sun being hot by emitting radiation via infrared that would then create electron-hole pairs in space thanks to the latter’s cool temperatures.

Throughout this article there are several innovations within renewable solar energy that you can start to integrate into your day-to-day. With so many options and variations becoming available within the solar energy industry, it is easy for consumers to become a part of the solar revolution. What’s stopping you? Check out the IGS website and see what we have to offer!