MANAGING CRISIS WHEN THE LIGHTS TURN OFF

at another wavelength in the infrared ,” Lunt said . “ Because the materials do not absorb or emit light in the visible spectrum , they look exceptionally transparent to the human eye .”

The new material opens up a host of new possibilities for solar panels , allowing them to be better integrated and more prevalent .

“ It opens a lot of area to deploy solar energy in a non-intrusive way ,” Lunt said . “ It can be used on tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader . Ultimately we want to make solar harvesting surfaces that you do not even know are there .”

The team is currently working on improving the efficiency of the panels .

Panels of Every Color Scientists at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology have developed solar panels of various colors , including white , which can be integrated into a variety of settings .

With better integration into buildings as its mission , the panels can be installed with minimal impact to space and aesthetic . The white panels are particularly important , as the lack of color allows the panels to run cooler and with better efficiency . The various colors available allow for greater versatility in visual design .

With the white panels , there is a common misconception that its reflective nature makes it a bad choice for panel design , though CSEM has solved that issue with its panels .

CSEM ’ s panels come in a variety of colors , but the white is notable for its ability to run cooler and more efficiently .

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