Solar powered glass makes for one cool window

Residential solar power is still so expensive that, for most of us, it's hard to imagine ever enjoying such eco-extravagance, let alone having gossamer-thin solar cells applied, almost transparently, like a gloss between our dual paned windows. Technology that advanced seems like something that might redefine the phrase "small fortune." Not so, according to XsunX, a California based company that has designed just such solar technology. They're calling it Power Glass and they claim that, while the cells won't be as powerful as conventional solar cells, they'll be considerably less expensive.

Wired magazine waxed poetic about the potential of the window-as-solar-panel technology in 2003, and Treehugger reported on XsunX's breakthrough in October of 2005. In the middle of last year, Energy Priorities reported that XsunX would be bringing the technology out of the lab in late 2006.

So where is this low-cost solar technology? Apparently, not available to the public yet. And while we may be impatient, we'll gladly abstain from complaining too much (a bit longer, at least)—because, well, being able to run the coffee maker and the toaster off the power generated by the kitchen window? Maybe not priceless, but definitely worth the wait!

Image Jairzinho Sanchez, www.sxc.hu