Utrecht Univ. develops Mondrian stained glass solar panel

Solar researchers at Utrecht University have developed an electricity generating stained glass panel inspired by the colorful paintings of Piet Mondrian, the university announced earlier this week.

The beautiful solar panel contains luminescent solar concentrators made out of perspex that absorbs sunlight and concentrates it to the side of the pates. The stained glass panel contains 100 solar cells of 15 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. The connectors are hidden in the wooden frame. "The window that we have realized converts about half a percent of the captured sunlight into electricity. On a sunny day this delivers enough energy for a battery on which you can charge three mobile phones." explains Wilfried van Sark, solar energy expert at the University. Van Sark came up with the concept of what he affectionately calls the Electric Mondrian and students of the university realized it. "The colored plates offer an aesthetic alternative to the familiar blue or black solar panels. They can also be integrated in the facades of office buildings on a large-scale", Van Sark said.