The technology of turning buildings into energy generators has been created: it has been sought for centuries

Any surface can be turned into a photovoltaic cell that generates clean energy.

Recent innovations in the field of photovoltaic cells ensure that buildings will soon be able to generate energy and become an asset in the fight against climate change. Ecoticias.com writes about it.

Solar panels are used to convert sunlight into electricity. However, due to the lack of roof space, size and rigidity of silicon-based batteries, their use is limited. However, researchers have developed new, thin, lightweight panels that can be mounted on any surface.

One of the best examples is Heliatek's “films” that can be applied to cylindrical or curved substrates that require bonding, such as water tanks and building facades. These photocells are lighter than conventional silicon cells. The technology is revolutionary because it transfers solar energy from roofs to walls, windows and even interiors, media reports.

Photovoltaic cells are one of the most attractive technologies because they allow photovoltaic surfaces to be incorporated into building designs, thereby turning houses into energy production facilities. These next-generation solar cells can be integrated into the building material of structures. “Now designers dream of using facades, windows and many other building design components as sources of green electricity,” — it says in the material.

Heliatek solar films can be applied to the sides of windmills, bus stops and even office buildings. The possibility of using energy from vertical surfaces, in addition to the possibility of installing transparent solar panels in windows, means that the covering of any building will be able to provide people with electricity. If all homes were to have such panels installed, they could meet their own electricity needs and even sell excess back to the grid, turning every building in the city into a power station.

Despite the potential of photovoltaics, there are some issues that need to be addressed, such as as the further development of production technologies and the increase of their service life. The devices with the highest efficiency are still research concepts and are only available as prototypes. However, work on increasing their durability continues. When these solar cells are perfected and their cost significantly reduced, their use will fundamentally change the very concept of electricity generation in urban areas.