h a l f b a k e r yMake mine a double.
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The application of several differing layers of semiconducting polymer paint to the exterior of buildings, motor vehicles and anything else which is exposed to sunlight would reap huge benefits in terms of energy capture, especially in equatorial and tropical areas.
This would also alleviate the
visual pollution of solar panel arrays as the structures already exist, they just have to be painted with this stuff. Obviously we have to come up with more efficient photovaltaic conversion materials, but this is not far off with research being done.
Downside: You can probably have any colour you want, so long as it's black.
Application of thin-film PVs
http://www.grc.nasa.../5000/5410hepp.html
Spray application of photovoltaic film, but not yet simple as paint by any stretch. [Dog Ed, May 30 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004]
Photo Voltaic Paint
http://nanodot.org/...e=thread&threshold=
Photo Voltaic Paint [BenW2, Dec 27 2004]
Photo voltaic film
http://www.ctv.ca/s...2587_49?hub=SciTech
University of Toronto invention harnesses infrared [krelnik, Jan 10 2005]
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Looks like some progress is being made in spray application of photovoltaics (see link)(well, precursor chemicals anyway) but the idea is not yet baked. Chemical deposition--ie electroplating of one form or another--is another possibility for surfaces like cars and metal roofing and such, and that too is under active development. UnaBubba, if I was a bettin' man I'd bet we will see paintlike photovoltaic finishes in the next 15 years. |
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And naysayers like you, Mr H, perpetuate the stranglehold oil and coal companies have on energy production, to the detriment of every living thing on the planet. How expensive do you imagine it might be to replace a planet?
I cannot imagine why, if paint can be made impervious to damp now, we would lose that capability by the time this is baked. It would be a legitimate use for petrochemicals in the making of these paints. You also may care to note I took pains to stipulate it would be most effective in equatorial and tropical areas. Since you didn't put any clue as to your whereabouts in your profile I can only assume you live above the Arctic circle? |
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Dog Ed, I checked carefully on Google and found only one mention of it possibly being a technological avenue of interest of the future. |
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UnaBubba: Yes, all the stuff I saw seemed to be in the realm of making photovoltaic panels cheaper/faster/better and not in coatings applied to other objects. Is that what you mean by [a technological avenue of interest of the future]? Thin-film PVs are a big step forward from sliced silicon, though, and IMHO if spray-on or plating of PV panels becomes routine then a paint-like PV coating for items other than single-purpose PV panels will follow. Very interesting. |
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Mr HighLiter: Isn't the dull weather problem delimited by cost and efficiency, though? I mean, if the photovoltaic array is cheap enough then you install it anyway, and even current PVs using room light (much dimmer than even an overcast day outside) can widdle out enough energy from a few square centimeters to run a hand calculator--grey daylight will indeed produce some power. |
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There's a question of how much power you can produce and how useful it is. I was looking into buying sheets of transparent Amorton to apply to my car windows (would act as solar/thermal tint as well as produce electricity) but in the end I couldn't justify the use. At about 4 Watts per square foot and maybe 25-30 square feet of rear window area, I could expect 100W in full sunlight. I guess that's enough to run my stereo, and too much for trickle-charging the car battery. So, it's overkill when the car is turned off, and not very interesting when you're driving. Not enough to spin an electric supercharger, for example... |
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This is the *1/2*bakery. A forum for halfbaked ideas. If we were to toe the party line on practicality then we wouldn't be here. |
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Sorry. Hard for me to see where the line is, when you guys go and look up all these references on existing work. Just telling you about a personal experience I had with the topic and what stopped me. I still think about getting the stuff for my car, to replace the current window tint. Or custom-ordering a set of new glass windows with the PV already laminated on, 'cause it's an intriguing idea, and maybe down the road I'll have a good use for 100W. (Like, arming an ESD alarm system, or something...) |
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If it's TOO much to trickle charge your battery, just use a smaller piece, and TRICKLE CHARGE YOUR BATTERY!!!!!!!!!! Why not? |
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Aww, super-big crusty kwah-sohn! Hey, [UB], you're gonna love this: I had been kicking this idea around for a while, and decided, this evening, to do a little Google search to see if anyone is working on it. (Or has accomplished it...?) And what a laugh I had when the first result returned from Google for "photovoltaic paint" was at the Half-Bakery! Nice one! |
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Hey all sorry i dont have one of these fancy names but call me Ben for short. I have been following [UB]'s argument for about three years now.....i am pleased to be able to push this in another direction... see link. |
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Any ways hope you have some fun. PS [UB] post here if you remember some guy who moved you from the apartment you stayed at and gave your TV to and you offered me a job at the vacume place in fortitude valley. Might catch up some time as i took some of your advice and it has lead me to places great. Thanks mate and hope to hear from you...if you r still posting. |
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I'm not an expert here, but how about having a larger battery which is worthy of the trickle charge? |
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100 watts is a lot of batteries. This is the first time I've heard someone complain about getting too much power from solar panels though. You could run most laptops full tilt off of that... your car could cool itself a bit, in the parking lot... you could operate a very local radio station... I mean, too much power? |
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Well, I like black. If you gain an extra 100 watts by just adding paint... I don't see the whole cost vs output problem. And there are billions of uses for it-- other than cars-- that could easily run on 100 watts (that's 100 watts X billions, everyone combined) sounds good to me. |
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A recent HB idea suggests using different energy sources combined with hybrid cars. Talk about a good use for trickle charging. Over-size the battery capacity, allow it to run quite low on stored energy, and you'll save quite a bit of gas after parking (or even driving) in the sun. |
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I missed the post from you, Ben, as I was on holiday in Europe at the time. It was a fair while ago, now, that we met. Good to see you made good, Ben. I can't find an email address for you, mate. |
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Had this idea myself last week and came online to 1/2 bake it. I'm glad to see that we took the time to weigh it out. have a bun! |
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Something I've imagined for quite some time now. Science has a long way to go before we can get this at a reasonable price... but I think the world can at least live with roofs that are all painted black... provided there's enough insulation... |
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i thought i had a half idea when i thought of using existing infrastructure for propping up solar cells, but photovoltaic paint bloody tops mate, i had a spark about attaching solar cell grids to the fence at home and the roof and walls, well i guess in the not too distance future we will have solar paint, i mean someone has to invent it, it only takes time and money and intell. anyway we have solar films nowadays, and i love that quote from some scientist 2 centuries ago "we live in a golden age, anything that can be invented has been invented" hahaha makes me cry every time |
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