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aecarol1 t1_iu60vfk wrote

Reply to comment by crispy2 in Low-cost 'transparent' solar cells reach new efficiency record, electricity-generating windows incoming? by VeterinarianProper42

Because it's a poor use of resources. By surface area, you will get far less power than on the roof. And yet you have to electrically wire all the windows together and hook them to multiple micro inverters to get 110 power. That's running a lot of electrical conduit etc.

That's going to cost a lot of money, for not much power.

If you have the money to do all that, put that money into more roof-top solar. You will get far more bang for the buck.

If you are a company trying to maximize power and your roof is already full of solar, spend the money on a solar farm where land is cheap. You will generate twice the power for the same money.

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crispy2 t1_iu689gz wrote

On new construction the wiring is trivial. Conduit and/or chases can make retrofitting easy.

It's also supposed to be "low cost".

If a roof already has solar panels on it or you are at higher laditudes windows or wall solar makes sense.

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dontpet t1_iu64lw1 wrote

I agree though they might be useful on commercial buildings. It another building isn't blocking the light.

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aecarol1 t1_iu65rjo wrote

Short buildings don't have a lot of windows to make it worth while and are likely surrounded by trees, bushes, and other things that case shade. Tall buildings have lots of windows, but tend to be surrounded by other tall buildings casting shade.

Roofs are flat and easy to work on and are more likely to have sun for more years and more of each day.

If the building is being built and there is money in the budget for "solar windows" even if they don't generate much power, the money would be better spent better insulating the building to lower heating/cooling costs or investing in more efficient heating/cooling.

Saving electricity on more efficient heating and air conditioning has exactly the same effect as generating more power using "solar windows". In fact, you might save more power because you can only generate electric from about 10am to about 4pm, but heating/cooling runs outside those hours.

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