The energy of the sun is really being used to a very minimal extent, considering the amount of energy the sun radiates each day. While our planet might receive a little of the total radiation, we still only convert a very minute amount of that energy in to power. So a few students from Blakewater College in Blackburn, England have decided that more of this energy needs to be harnessed & have designed solar blinds which absorb the light of the sun & convert it in to electricity.
Since we all use window blinds & they obviously are in a position where they get plenty of radiation, the idea seems pretty good. In fact, the idea was deemed to be so good that it has been short-listed among the top 5 entries out of 1000 in the Green Gadget of the Future contest. The results of this contest would be announced on Dec. 10, 2007 & the students from Blackburn obviously wish they won the £20,000 cash prize or the top honor.
While the idea seems to be really good, the only problem is that it is an idea that I’m pretty sure is already in practice. I’m sure that the panel of judges also know this & hence I would only assume that there is something new about these blinds that makes them a lot more cost effective & maybe more efficient than the ones in use. All in all, it still is an idea that needs all the promotion it can get as such a usage of solar blinds across the planet might indeed save a lot of energy.
Via: Treehugger
