Solar power: Glass bricks and other solar inventions
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This glass brick generates electricity!
A British company has designed a new kind of glass brick that can create electricity using solar power.
Solar power uses the energy of the Sun to generate electricity.
The brick can be used to replace windows or other glass in office blocks, buildings and even bus stops.
The inventors at Build Solar think they look better than solar panels and take up less space, so could be an eco friendly alternative to current building materials.
The company has recently been awarded money from the government to help them develop the solar bricks.
It's comes as part of the government's attempt to cut emissions to 'net zero' by the year 2050.
The company says buildings take up nearly half of the energy the world uses, so the solar bricks could help to offset some of that.
We thought we'd check out some other solar technology that could be used in the future...
Net zero emissions are part of a plan to tackle climate change
It means emissions from homes, transport, farming and industry will have to be avoided completely or - in the most difficult examples - offset by planting trees or sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere.
A rise of 1.5C in average world temperature above pre industrial levels is considered the threshold for dangerous climate change.
Floating Solar Farms
Ocean Sun solar panels sit on a flexible floating pad
Another company, called Ocean Sun, thinks one of the ways to make space for big solar panels is to put them out on the ocean.
Until they came along people thought waves would damage floating solar panels.
But they came up with a floating platform with flexible panels to try and solve that problem.
Solar-powered super trees
These funky things are Solar Powered Trees
These weird looking towers are called "super-trees" because they use solar energy to power lights and air vents.
They're part of a man made forest in Singapore in Asia.
Each of the towers is also a vertical garden, cleans rainwater, and provides extra shade for the city to keep it cool.
Solar blinds
This prototype solar roller blind could be fitted to flats and garages
Usually solar panels go on the roofs of houses, but what if you don't have your own roof because you live in a flat?
Boffins at a company called Filia have invented blinds which have flexible solar panels in them.
The blinds can roll over windows or even garages.
The owners say that means anyone could eventually have solar power as long as they have a window!
- Published7 February 2023
- Published7 February 2023
- Published6 February 2023
