Your windows could power your home

Plus: A solar flare hit Earth yesterday, causing radio blackouts in Australia and New Zealand. Nov 08, 2022 [Blueprint]( Windows are said to be the eyes to the soul …and now they might also be the answer to your energy woes. Or rather they will be if these [new solar windows]( take off (figuratively speaking.) Because there are now transparent solar windows, which can be retrofitted into old infrastructure and help save money on energy costs. They can also save space in modern buildings, which would otherwise be used to house solar panels. Nifty, eh? The energy conversion efficiency of the modules varies in the range of 11-13 percent, depending on the opacity of the windows… so they’re not as efficient as you might want, yet. But it’s an exciting start, nonetheless. Before you take a moment to gaze at that though, cast your eyes in the direction of [this video]( which shows how geothermal energy can clean up the dirty footprint of EV batteries. Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers had scientists’ insights on whether picking your nose might lead to your eventual demise (and what we can do to kick the habit). Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+]( today to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [How geothermal energy can clean up the dirty footprint of EV batteries.]( [Cleaning up the dirty footprint of EV batteries.]( Making sure green also means clean. [Must Read]MUST READ [premium] [Transparent solar panels will soon become a window of energy and light in your home.]( [New solar windows produce power.]( [Transparent solar panels are being developed]( by various companies around the world. The idea is that they can be used in place of windows, so that you can see through them and they can produce power at the same time, saving money, space, and potentially the planet. So, how does this work? Well, the windows contain a transparent solar coating made from light-absorbing dyes, which tap into both infrared and ultraviolet spectra of light, all while letting visible light pass through. The dyes in question are non-toxic and are made from materials that are abundant on Earth, They are said to be similar to pigments used on fabrics. Transparent solar windows aren’t just at demo stage — some have already been set up and are in use. On the list of installations for UE Power (one of the companies developing this tech) are its own offices in Redwood City, California, at the R&D facility of its partner in Northwood, Ohio, a commercial office building in Boulder, Colorado, and in Tokyo, Japan. It also has an installation at Michigan State University. → UbiQD's Wendow (another company putting this tech to the test) is made by sandwiching a layer of its quantum dot technology between two layers of glass. The quantum dots absorb sunlight and internally reflect the infrared light to the edges, where solar cells generate electricity. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [A solar flare hit Earth yesterday, causing radio blackouts in Australia and New Zealand.]( A medium-intensity [solar flare hit the Earth's magnetosphere]( in the early hours of Monday. It is unlikely that a coronal discharge will follow the solar activity, and if it does, it is unlikely it will head toward Earth. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Science - Blood Moon: The [best places to watch the last total eclipse]( before 2025. - [Ghost particles detected from the South Pole]( could reveal the inner workings of black holes. - Spill the tea: [Who lives in your beverage?]( [premium] [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [The US Air Force's XQ-58A Valkyrie drone has a range of up to 3,500 miles.]( The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions collaboratively tested Block 2 of its [XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aircraft]( at the Yuma Proving Ground last week. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Innovation - Eggs found to [remove salt and microplastics]( from seawater. - Artemis I: SLS is [back on the launchpad]( once more ahead of a launch attempt next week. - Smart roads, wireless EV charging, and the [future of American infrastructure](. [premium] [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS Your windows could power your home, thanks to new transparent solar panels. Do you think these solar windows will one day be economically viable for domestic use? [Yes, if they're widely adopted by industry]( [Possibly eventually, but not for years yet]( [No, this is all pie in the sky]( [It's difficult to say either way]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked you what you think might be the main barrier to combined solar and wind power becoming widespread, and 49 percent of you said the cost might be prohibitive. 49% Cost constraints 28% Objections from energy companies 14% Something else entirely 9% Availability of materials [QUOTE OF THE DAY]QUOTE OF THE DAY “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan, American astronomer. [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [Sony HT G700 Soundbar]( [image]( [Logitech Harmony Companion]( [image]( [Sony 360 Reality Audio Speaker]( [image]( [AVICHE M1 Wearable Mini Air Purifier with USB]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - A breakthrough study reveals that [food allergies can be reversed]( in mice. [premium] - Catastrophic solar storms may not explain [shadows of radiation in trees](. (Science News) - Scientist claims he has made the [ultimate unhackable voting machine](. - [Planets around graveyard star]( were consumed before Earth was even born. (New Scientist) - This company built a [3D-printed net zero house]( to decrease carbon dioxide. - COP27: ['Climate chaos' warning]( as UN summit begins. (BBC) - Astronomers discover [closest black hole to Earth]( and it is 10 times heavier than the Sun. [Subscribe to IE+ today.]( Prepared by Alice Cooke Enjoy Reading? Forward this email to a friend. Was this email forwarded to you? 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