Designed to generate energy as well as reduce heat, 3M’s latest solar film will be a great addition to any residential or business building. The film features a transparent design that allows it to be installed right over existing windows. Expected to go on sale some time during 2012, 3M’s new film will generate approximately 20 percent of the electricity that is generated from traditional solar panels at half the cost.

In addition to costing less than conventional solar panels, 3M’s film will be easier to install and capable of operating under less favorable sunlight conditions. Since the film is designed to be installed over existing windows, no additional space or bulky equipment is required. Senior manager of 3M’s marketing division Yasuhiro Aoyagi explained, “An average person could go to the store, buy some of this, and then bring it home and install it themselves.”

Created from organic photovoltaic material that is printed onto the film, the new film is also capable of blocking or absorbing 80 percent of visible light and over 90 percent of infrared light. This means users will be able to apply tinting applications of the film without losing its solar panel properties. In several demonstrations run by 3M, thermometers attached to both sides of a window with the film installed revealed a difference in temperature of up to 10 degrees Celsius.

Although the company initially plans to target corporate and governmental buildings, 3M is hoping to increase production and reduce costs for general and residential use as well.

SOURCE via Computer World