Nanjing University Unveils CUSC: The Colorless, Unidirectional Solar Concentrator
1Nanjing University Unveils CUSC: The Colorless, Unidirectional Solar Concentrator
Addressing the escalating global demand for renewable energy, researchers at Nanjing University in China have unveiled a potentially revolutionary innovation in solar power: transparent photovoltaic window glass.
This system, designated the Colorless Unidirectional Diffractive Solar Concentrator (CUSC), utilizes a coating of cholesteric liquid crystals. The CUSC works by selectively manipulating the polarization of sunlight to redirect specific photons toward solar cells integrated discreetly along the edges of the glass, while allowing the majority of natural light to pass through unhindered.
A crucial advantage of this breakthrough is its potential for retrofitting onto existing building windows. While successfully proven with a one-inch prototype capable of powering a small fan, the technology currently faces two primary development challenges: improving the solar conversion efficiency, which stands at 3.7%, and enhancing the material's durability. Despite these limitations, the CUSC system presents a highly promising pathway toward democratizing solar energy access, particularly in urban environments.