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Sustainability is the next big move when it comes to design, it’s something every industry will have to apply and one of the most interesting parts is exploring materials – what substitutes can we use or adjustments can we make to optimize our resources for the improvement of the climate? Fossil fuels continue to account for over 81% of global energy production according to the International Energy Agency and if we continue to burn fossil fuels at the current rate, global oil and gas supplies will be depleted by 2060.
To ensure that we are prepared for change, we must focus on accessible and effective renewable alternatives (such as Quantum Dots). This year’s James Dyson Award winner in the sustainability category tries to answer your question with an innovative solar energy harvesting window made from recycled materials. The AuREUS system uses technology created from recycled crop debris that helps walls / windows absorb stray UV light from sunlight and convert it into clean renewable electricity – absolute awesomeness!
Designed by Carvey Ehren Maigue of the University of Mapua, these panels can be made into windows or walls that will collect solar energy and convert it into electricity. Three things that I instantly fell in love with this design are 1) clean renewable energy 2) use of crop residues and 3) lower electricity bills. AuRUES was inspired by the phenomenon of aurora lights, which is a whimsical natural process that occurs when luminescent particles in the upper atmosphere absorb energy from ultraviolet and gamma radiation and emit it as visible light. Panels mimic this process by embedding similar luminescent particles in resin so that when sunlight hits the panel, it absorbs UV rays and produces visible light. The light is then directed towards the edges of the panel where regular photovoltaic cells collect the energy to convert it into electricity. The colors of the luminescent particles come from dyes that were made from waste cultures, making this a closed-loop system.
Today’s renewable energy solutions can only generate electricity under the right environmental conditions. For example, solar panels can only capture and convert visible light into renewable energy and must be oriented towards the sun to do so. Even solar farms must be built horizontally, which takes up space that could be used for cultivation or other resources. By using AuREUS, you eliminate the need to have certain conditions to take advantage of solar energy, which makes it more efficient and accommodating to various spaces.
“As a farmer, I see great potential in this technology to generate clean renewable energy. The AuREUS system technology conserves space using pre-existing structures, utilizes current resources and waste streams, and supports local farming communities, ”says James Dyson. By collecting ultraviolet radiation, AuREUS opens a door to increase the potential of solar energy, since conventional solar cells lose that part of the spectrum.
In addition to reducing costs, mitigating climate change and supporting local farming communities, these panels will also reduce people’s exposure to radiation that can cause serious illness and help reduce the urban carbon footprint with sustainable architecture. “I want to create a better form of renewable energy that uses the world’s natural resources, is close to people’s lives, forging achievable pathways and uniting towards a sustainable and regenerative future,” says Maigue. His invention looks to the future and solves problems for the present.
Designer: Carvey Ehren Maigue
