7 Innovations In Solar Energy And How They Could Change The World

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As society keeps developing, we need more and more energy. However, it’s not an endless resource, so we need to find ways to satisfy our needs without destroying the environment. Most energy production requires natural resources, so a huge amount of energy can have a serious impact on nature. Fortunately, you can always go green and use endless resources. Among others, here are a few innovations in solar energy that can truly help the environment.

Why Look for Eco-Friendly Sources of Energy?
Producing energy takes a lot of resources, like fossil fuel or oil. Of course, these are not endless, and consuming them has a great impact on the environment. Burning these fuels is, also, really harmful. These are the main culprits for greenhouse gas emissions, so producing energy means disturbing our planet.

Alternative Sources of Energy
Consuming less is not really an option. If we want to evolve, we will be needing more and more energy to develop industrial activities and keep growing. This is why alternative sources are always welcome. By using solar power, water, or wind, we can get that boost we need for our activity without releasing bad chemicals into the atmosphere.

From these sources, solar power is the most effective. First of all, it’s an unlimited resource that we can never consume. Second of all, we get plenty of sunlight every year to produce an impressive amount of energy to satisfy all our needs. Here are some of the most productive innovations in solar energy you can try.

Exquisite Innovations in Solar Energy
1. Solar Windows
This method is based on a clever procedure than manages to convert sunlight into electricity. The technology is applied on windows, which are covered in a special material that gets tinted whenever it gets into contact with sunlight.

The tinted layer on the windows captures the sunlight, which is used to produce electricity. The technology behind the windows is photovoltaic and can allow entire buildings to produce their own power and become independent from other systems.

However, this technology is not so easy to develop. Currently, researchers are still working on windows clear windows that get tinted only when there’s sunlight outside. The technology is not foolproof yet, so we might have to wait a few years such windows become a reality.

2. Solar Desalination
Desalination is the process of extracting salt from seawater. Many people actually make use of this technology to produce freshwater for drinking or other purposes. However, this process still needs some energy.

Now, researchers found a way to supply more areas with freshwater with the help of solar desalination. The desalination plants contain some special cells that absorb light, as well as the membrane that filters water and makes it drinkable. This is a great solution for those many areas that lack proper water resources.

3. Solar Energy via Thin Films of Material
This is truly one of the best innovations in solar energy you could think of. When you thought of solar power, you probably associated it with big panels that took a lot to produce. They also occupied a lot of space, so they weren’t really a practical option.

Now, researchers managed to turn these panels into rolls of thin solar film. This is a lot more versatile, allowing people to install them anywhere at much lower costs. Instead of installing solar panels on your roof, you can incorporate this thin film directly on the roof tiles.

4. Solar Balloons
This technology consists of big balloons made of silver that attract sunlight. They have special solar cells that can absorb this sunlight and then use it to produce electricity. The great thing about these balloons is the fact that they are relatively cheap, and do not require many resources.

5. Solar Spray
This is another exquisite idea among different innovations in solar energy. The spray consists of a liquid mixed with perovskites, which are cells that absorb light and then turn it into energy. The liquid component allows you to spray the mixture on different surfaces, and then harvest this solar power. For instance, by spraying it on bigger surfaces, you can actually get an important source of energy if you know how to handle it.

6. Solar Clothes
Have you ever wanted to go out and take a walk on a sunny day and charge your phone at the same time? With these solar clothes, you will be able to do it, so they can easily become people’s favorite. These clothes have special light-converting particles woven into their fabric and can offer power to your devices just by exposing them to sunlight.

The power you get is enough to keep these gadgets going for a few hours. Now, the next step is to move on to other fashion items. Although it seems a bit unpractical, you might soon get sunglasses, watches, or even items of jewelry that convert sunlight into energy.

7. Solar Trees
If you’re tired of those unaesthetic solar panels, you can opt for something more creative, but just as effective. This idea consists of interesting architectural pieces that resemble trees and have light-absorbing panels on them. The cells in the panels can turn light into electricity, and the formation looks great in your garden.

Of course, such trees will be more common among office buildings, in parks, or in public spaces. However, they can work just as well in more isolated places where a source of energy is a blessing. The first projects will be producing smaller amounts of energy that might be enough to charge devices. These same trees can turn into streetlights at night after they have stored energy during the day.

Gradually, solar trees might get more powerful and produce a lot more sustainable energy. However, there is still a long way till then.

Summing Up
These innovations in solar energy are still prototypes, or currently can produce a smaller amount of energy. Even so, they have all the potential to develop and become reliable sources of electricity and power. Gradually, we will become less dependent on polluting sources of energy and will learn how to harvest endless resources and use them to power devices and homes.

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