MIT – Collecting Solar Energy on Cloudy Days

ABC News Reporter Bill Weir interviews MIT energy researchers including an eco-architect. This idea of building vertical shapes to catch ambient light is similar to the model the Tel Aviv researchers are pursuing from the article below.

In this video the researchers tell how using taller vertical shapes can catch ambient light. Applying solar cells to vertical structures makes them more effective and efficient at absorbing and re-emitting light even on cloudy days. The complaint/problem about solar power only working on bright days is being worked on by discovering which shapes work best for light collection and absorption.

Vertical structures wouldn’t be acceptable on homeowners roofs but these models are for solar energy collection in city hubs that would be distributed to surrounding buildings. They could also be placed in neighborhoods where homeowners could tap into the more efficient collectors and not have to install solar roof systems. This is already going on in some states but using regular shaped small solar arrays not these vertical models.

MIT – Collecting Solar Energy on Cloudy Days