We tend to think of solar power infrastructure as big and imposing — but not all solar projects are like this. Many of the newest ones are very simple and straightforward, and fit in pretty small spaces.
At the same time, solar versatility is booming; instead of just being limited to large photovoltaic panels, the power of solar is being fitted into small systems that can ride on the back of a vehicle — or even smaller systems that can fit on your face!
New solar sunglasses models take advantage of what’s called ‘Moore’s Law’ — the idea that we’ve been able to make digital devices smaller and smaller over several decades. A new report from Science Daily shows ‘organic’ solar cells fitted into solar glasses that have semi-transparent colored cells powering a tiny microchip and circuitry on the frame of the glasses — these types of designs can also integrate augmented reality, where for example, glasses show off items like temperature and luminosity in bar graph form. You can also use solar powered sunglasses to charge your devices — as in this model lineup from Yanko Design involving a dyed solar cell. By blending solar technology with nanotech, you get these kinds of decision, transportable small energy designs.
Designs like this just feed the popularity of renewable energy in general. As companies are innovating in small solar designs, and other companies like Amazon are expanding massive solar farms to power large scale infrastructure, small business owners and individual property owners are integrating more and more localized solar designs into rooftop structures, ground mounted grids and other installations to get the power that they need to run appliances, heat or cool a home, or otherwise serve households and neighborhoods. These systems are also very versatile – it’s possible to really target the energy needs of a business or household, and in addition, many Virginia residents can take advantage of “net metering,” where they can essentially get credits for power that goes back to the grid.