Find this a fascinating prospect. If they can perfect the technology, it would be so easy for governments keen to boost their green credentials to slap these onto the flat roof of any public building.

The following submission statement was provided by /u/gregnoone:

Find this a fascinating prospect. If they can perfect the technology, it would be so easy for governments keen to boost their green credentials to slap these onto the flat roof of any public building.

Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/zsnvbk/paperthin_solar_makes_any_surface_photovoltaic/j18ttht/

I would think that the weight savings would make them ideal for space applications.

A difference in cost wouldn't matter very much, and operating in a vacuum wouldn't need much in the way of protective coatings.

yes! could revolutionize power sources for micro-satellites and space probes

Unroll this solar carpet onto a roof—or any other surface that sees sunlight.

Applying this to the windows of sky scrapers would be an amazing use of those spaces and a huge boost to solar energy.

Eh, if it is in a plastic sandwich then the direct, unfiltered sunlight would break it down pretty fast.

This is great tech...but unfortunately the tech isn't scalable with our current forms of production.

Only lab size pieces can be made.

Wouldn't the fact that it's so thin also make it incredibly delicate and easily destroyed by impact with tiny space debris?

If they perfect the technology I want to see bills that make it mandatory for any reasonable surface with a net positive output.

Efficient and stability. This will not be certified, and will not be sold in EU.

Space actually needs a lot of coatings. Microdebris, radiation, and EMI all need consideration. Oh, and Thermal. But yes, a specialized spin off would be interesting!

The issue with solar panels isn't so much about how much surface you can cover. It's much more about how much you're willing to pay for those solar panels. If these aren't cheap, and at least moderately durable, I don't really see them moving the needle on solar power.

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Solar tech is not about being small or thin or lightweight or efficient. It’s about cost per megajoules over its expected lifetime.

Being thin is nice, that opens up a lot of more applications, but the real bummer is being scaleablr/cheap enough to be actually chosen over other options.

Space debris is generally moving at such absurd speeds relative to anything it hits that no type of solar panel would stand up to it. If you're worried about taking hits it would be better to just bring more solar panel area than you need so that you can live without some of it if necessary.

There's also the storage problem and the power transmission problem, both huge challenges for renewables that increase as grids take on more of them. There's a lot more to the challenges of green energy than cheap sources.

solar windows is tried and failed project
It’s more expensive, it’s much less effective and it blocks much more sun than it generates electricity, pissing off everyone inside.
Sure, you can do it more transparent, but in that case, it generates even less electricity.

IMHO rooftop panels is all we need

why would we though? Judging by the currently available analyses, we don't even need that space. Simply covering roofs would be enough to cover our needs, alongside commercial solar farms.

In fact, even currently available solar panels, if used on an entire roof, would generate more than enough of energy to handle a big house. The problem is the cost of doing that and maintenance if the panels get damaged.

I can think of a few reasons, not all of them may make sense or are great though.

Cheaper cells that are less efficient on these tall buildings could generate that extra energy we need to power smaller buildings in the area that may not see much if any sunlight.

Taller buildings get more sun through the day, even if it is only by a minute or two.

The more energy we generate and cam store the less reliant we could be on other methods of energy generation.

I didnt know that. Thanks!

Kind of- for skyscrapers especially, glare reduction, excess light mitigation and UV removal are important functions that normally lead to window tinting and indoor window covers anyway. If you can get those effects cheaply enough and in the right proportions, then PV windows could be a viable technology.

They will always be worse than rooftop PV- I wouldn't be surprised if a skyscraper's windows produced less electricity than its rooftop array, due as well to the poor window positioning for PV- but if they're filling multiple functions then they might be worthwhile. It would be like complaining about windows for lighting when LEDs work just as well.