In addition to solar PV panels, customers will very soon be able to install solar roof tiles that can produce and store solar energy! This invention by Amrita Center for NanoSciences, Kochi enables people to do exactly that. It seems they are planning to market these solar roof tiles in a year or two.
With solar tiles, nanosolar technology is used to convert solar radiation into electricity, instead of the commonly used Solar PV. The best thing about this invention is, they combine energy storage (through integrated capacitors in the solar tiles, instead of batteries) along with energy generation. Hence, solar energy stored (and unused) during the day can be used in the nights/cloudy days.
A good thing about solar tiles is, they look just like normal roof tiles (they may come in a different color though) and hence they don't interfere with the ambiance/look of the house. Hence, if people can buy the solar tiles instead of normal roof tiles, they get shelter as well as energy!
The questions of cost/capacity, etc. are yet to be unveiled but for now we know that solar tiles will be available in the near future in India and they can generate and store energy. Imagine the cost of batteries if one wants to store solar energy in them! Currently batteries are the most popular means of energy storage for renewable energy systems. But inventions like these might make energy storage more cost effective, which is very important in the case of solar, wind and other renewable technologies.
Building Integrated PhotoVoltaics (BIPV) is a new field that is rapidly developing all over the world. This aims at replacing the current glass exteriors of multi-storied buildings/skyscrapers with materials that generate electricity using the radiation of the sun. Thin Film Solar PV is normally used for such applications, but as shown in the above video, other proprietary materials are also sometimes used to increase the efficiency and improve the aesthetics/functionality of the external surface.
Slowly, but surely, we are moving towards BIPV and solar tiles are just a starting point in this transformation. If you are into the business of selling solar PV, BIPV is an area you should look at expanding into, soon.
