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New solar cells may bring 'power' windows

LOS ANGELES, July 20 (UPI) -- New transparent solar cells will let windows in homes and offices generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside, U.S. scientists say.

Researchers at UCLA say they've developed a polymer solar cell that produces energy by absorbing mainly infrared light, rather than visible light, making the cells nearly 70 percent transparent to the human eye.

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The polymer solar cells are made of a photoactive plastic that converts infrared light into an electrical current but is less sensitive to visible light, balancing solar cell performance and transparency in the visible wavelength region, a UCLA release reported Friday.

"These results open the potential for visibly transparent polymer solar cells as add-on components of portable electronics, smart windows and building-integrated photovoltaics and in other applications," study leader Yang Yang, a professor of materials science and engineering, said.

"Our new PSCs are made from plastic-like materials and are lightweight and flexible," Yang said, noting intense world-wide interest in polymer solar cell technology. "More importantly, they can be produced in high volume at low cost."

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