Now we can generate energy in a more fashionable way. The Ankara Solar Energy Construction Company, from Turkey, is changing the way we think about solar panels. With its new invention called PV Floor, it combines solar energy, smart architecture, and cool design. These panels can be walked on and help buildings use more renewable energy in a stylish way. It’s all about sustainability and better energy efficiency. Even the magazine Science Robotics talked about it, proof that the future of solar power is not just smart, but also good-looking. So, let’s learn more about this new way of generating energy.
What is a solar panel?
A solar panel is a device that captures sunlight and turns it into electricity. It’s widely used in houses, buildings, or even in the countryside to produce clean energy, without polluting. Until now, traditional solar panels were almost always black or dark blue, because those colors help absorb more sunlight. But now, a company from Turkey has created something completely new…
Colored solar panels
A company called Ankara Solar Energy, located in Turkey and the largest in the country for making solar panels, has invented the first colored solar panels in the world called “rainbow panels.” For now, the colors used are red, green and blue.
Why is this important?
This invention is going to be a new step into solar panels because now they not only produce energy, but can also look nice. They can be used in places such as:
- Modern houses that want to keep an elegant design.
- Old or historic buildings where you don’t want to ruin the original style.
- Schools, shopping centers, offices or any place that wants to have solar energy without losing its appearance.
Advantages of colored solar panels
Of course, we want to have products that look nice with our surroundings, but these colored solar panels have more to offer. So let’s have a look at the advantages they have:
- Aesthetic variety (they look better): Before, all panels looked almost the same. Now they can be made in different colors to match the building.
- High efficiency (they work well): Even though they have color, they are still efficient, meaning they produce solar energy just as well as regular panels.
- Good integration with buildings: These panels can be placed on roofs, walls, facades (the outside part of a building), without looking out of place.
- Eco-friendly: Like all solar panels, they help the environment, because they produce energy without using fuels like oil or gas.
Energy under your feet
Besides the colored panels, Ankara Solar also invented another new technology: solar panels that can be placed on the floor and walked on. This technology is called PV Floor, which is a solar surface made with special anti-slip glass. It has solar cells inside, which convert sunlight into electricity, just like regular panels. But in this case, they are designed to be part of the floor, and people can walk on them without damaging them.
Where can walkable panels be used?
You might be curious about where these new solar panels could be used, right? You will find them in houses, schools, shopping centers, transport stations, public squares, and indoor and outdoor areas.
In all these places, there are spaces that are not used for anything, just for walking. With walkable panels, those floors can produce solar energy all day. This is a smart move, isn’t it?
Are these floor panels resistant?
Some people might be scared of walking on these solar panels because they think the materials could break. According to the company Ankara Solar, this is not true because:
- They are made with materials very resistant to daily use.
- They can handle impacts, scratches, and the weight of many people walking.
- They are ideal for places with a lot of people all day, but also work in quieter places.
- They not only produce energy, but can also be safe and durable like any regular floor.
We are witnessing many technological advances, and this one has the best of both worlds: environmentally friendly and great appearance. If you had the chance, would you install these colored solar panels in your house?