The houses of the future will be able to be built with structural systems that will convert sunlight into usable energy.
Scientists dealing with renewable energy sources are developing a revolutionary new technology, which is a continuation of the effort to construct buildings that will themselves generate the required energy for their functions.
The Solar Squared glass blocks are designed to be installed in either new construction or renovations of old buildings and will be on the market in 2018 according to the University of Exeter research team.
Solar Squared glass blocks are similar to traditional glass bricks, which replace regular bricks with the aim of allowing sunlight to pass through buildings. Each Solar Squared glass blocks through "smart" optical technology concentrates the incoming solar radiation into small solar cells, enhancing the total energy produced by each cell. The electricity produced can be used to power the building, to store in batteries or to charge electric vehicles.
Given that buildings today consume more than 40% of the electricity produced worldwide, Solar Squared technology can have a significant impact on reducing this amount at a relatively low cost.
Article source: DailyMail
