Maggie Fisher
Blog 4
Scientist in China just generated a
window that can save and generate energy. The window is called a smart window
and could lower costs of electric heating and cooling in home and buildings. The
windows cause heat to escape in winter and absorbs rays in the summer. The struggle
about creating the windows is creating the transparent look. The windows right
now generally regulate the sun rays and do not capture as much energy as they
could. Gaus team found that Vanadium oxide can be used to create transparency. “Vanadium oxide can be used as a transparent coating to
regulate infrared radiation from the Sun. VO2 changes its properties based on
temperature. Below a certain level it is insulating and lets through infrared
light, while at another temperature it becomes reflective (Industry Week).” This will cause the warming and cooling
effect in buildings and homes.
Overall I think this is a good energy
discovery. It will save a lot of energy while also lowering the cost of energy
bills. What happens if it is winter and there is a randomly warm day? In Kentucky
that happens a lot. So will the windows respond that quickly? I also wonder how
much money these are going to cost. Another question is if the VO2 is going to cause
any harmful side effects. In this article I could not find any harmful emissions
or side effects the energy windows might have. I am sure scientist are working
on improving the quality of the window so that it is also as energy saving as
it is at regulating temperatures.
Reference:
"Scientists Unveil Energy-Generating Window." IndustryWeek Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. <http://www.industryweek.com/research-amp-development/scientists-unveil-energy-generating-window>.
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