Israeli innovators have launched the world’s first solar-powered window, a revolutionary breakthrough that could cut heating and cooling costs for homes and businesses around the world and lead the way to a future of clean, energy efficient, self-powered buildings.
“Harnessing the sun” is what Gonen Fink, CEO of Pythagoras Solar, calls his company’s clean-energy breakthrough.
The company is part of a new high-tech trend in Israel focusing on alternative energy. In recent years, Israel has helped pioneer the production of electric cars, solar power, wind power, biofuels and more.
Israel has a strategic interest in helping to wean itself and other countries from foreign oil dependence.
Israeli President Shimon Peres recently noted, “Oil supports terror and violence from Venezuela to Iran … Israel cannot become a major industrial country, but it can become a daring world laboratory and a pilot plant for new ideas, like the electric car.”
Together with Cyprus, Israel has also become a leader in home solar water systems.
Approximately 90 percent of Israeli homes are equiped with solar water systems, which meet about four percent of the country’s total energy demand, saving the equivalent of nearly two billion barrels of oil a year.
One of the pioneering companies in this field, Chromagen (founded in 1962), is now exporting its hot water systems to more than 35 countries around the world.
Internationally, Israel is engaged in joint research efforts under a number of bilateral agreements, including the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development program (BIRD). Israel is also a charter member of the International Renewable Energy Agency, which was established in 2009 to help promote the adoption of renewable energy worldwide.
An additional benefit to solar windows is that they also reduce the heating, cooling and lighting costs of buildings.
Pythagoras’ windows technology “combines electricity production, energy reduction and transparent design,” explained NTD Television.
The company’s double-pane window embedded with solar cells can generate electricity for buildings. It is constructed from plastic pieces attached with transparent solar cells, reducing the need for electricity, heating and light.
The windows reduce the need for air conditioning and excess energy production by acting as a shade to the building or reducing the need for artificial light.
Thanks to Israel21c
Pythagoras Solar (http://www.pythagoras-solar.com) offers the only transparent and high-density PVGU, which combines solar PV power generation with the modularity and insulating benefits of the standard insulating glass unit (IGU) while preventing direct solar radiation from entering the building. This delivers a new level of design flexibility to the architecture, construction and engineering industries, enabling the creation of cost-efficient, aesthetically pleasing, self-powered buildings. Currently available product applications include curtain walls and skylights. To learn more, visit http://www.pythagoras-solar.com
