Powered By Curtains

With climate change being such a big thing at the moment it seems every company is jumping on the band wagon trying to prove their green credentials or to flog you something to reduce your carbon footprint or to help recycle etc. So a newspaper article on flexible solar panels fits right in.

I can't tell though if the product being described in this article is pure genius or pure insanity. In essence someone has decided that you could use flexible solar panels as curtains. Just think about how much energy could be generated from a renewable source (OK the Sun isn't actually renewable as it's fuel will eventually run out, but stop being picky!) if every window could double as a solar panel. I'm betting the designer really thinks they are on to a winner.

I foresee one tiny little flaw though. Most people like to have their curtains open during the day to let light into their rooms (my brother being the exception that proves the rule). As such very little of the solar panel (if any) will be in a useful position to capture light and create electricity. Of course at night when everyone draws their curtains voilà, lots of solar panels. To quote Starlight Express though "we could use the sunlight, but it don't shine at night".

So I'm going to state that I think this is one of the most stupid ideas I've ever heard. Not only will they never generate much electricity, but the article admits they also aren't very efficient, so in their lifetime I'm assuming they will probably take more energy to make than they would generate. I'd probably rank them along side chocolate kettles and inflatable dartboards on the list of the dumbest inventions ever.

Of course some people will be daft enough to be duped into buying them.