Solar Textiles: Energy-Yielding Curtains

This could be the best solution to the dilemma of window coverings — especially if you live in an apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows. Designers from Kennedy & Violich Architecture of Boston, Massachusetts have developed an energy-yielding textile that uses thin, solar cells to harness the sun's energy...

Still not as efficient as flat solar panels, the flexible solar textile should improve quickly as technology advances. Via: Gadget Lab.

Comments (7)

Now if they can only make the cost low enough...

That's really cool. But my curtains are generally closed at night, not during the day, which would make these frivolous most of the time. I would imagine a lot of people have the same issue.

We keep our curtains closed during the day while we are at work. Our house is built over a lake with floor-to-ceiling windows that face Southwest and the closed curtains keep the heat out. I think these curtains would be an awesome idea! Now if they could only come up with some better colors/patterns...

What am I missing here?
The panels can soak up solar energy - then what? Is there a plug on the end to charge your phone with? Why doesn't it mention how to use that energy or am I just supposed to know?
One would think that is the primary message. Odd they don't mention it.

would be great to use as outdoor umbrellas and as curtains in places in the south west where people keep sunlight out during the day to keep cooling costs down.

Q: what happens if you have a.b.c. a. sunlight, b. a magnifying glass, c. solar panels... would the energy receptacle fill out faster that way?...