“Smart” glass shows promise

Daksha Rangan write on the Weather Network website about new glass that reacts to weather conditions and brings many benefits. It can even provide low level power.

Researchers create smart windows, using weather to create a renewable energy source

Can rain help you cut back on energy costs? In the near future, perhaps.

According to Science Magazine, researchers constructed a new glass window that tints by harvesting energy from weather conditions, such as wind and precipitation.

The newly developed technology is unlike other smart windows that depend on solar panels, batteries, and in some cases, power outlets. The external layer of the smart-glass generators harvests static energy from the rain, creating an electric current. The second layer gathers energy from the wind.

Science Magazine reports that “smart glass” (technology that changes its components to omit light and heat) has existed for decades. The publication lists glare-fighting rearview car mirrors, and windows that change colour for privacy and/or energy savings as its principal examples.

The innovation behind this smart glass is its eco-friendly component.

Researchers who tested the glass found that it produced enough energy to power a smart phone while its asleep, or power a pacemaker, Science Magazine reports.

But the product still has a long way to go.

Currently, the glass cannot store the energy it produces. Science Magazine says the team is working to boost energy efficiency.