SolarWindow launches self-adhesive solar film

A company called SolarWindow has launched a new solar product called ElectroFlex, a thin, flexible solar film that can be stuck directly onto flat or curved surfaces without the frames, glass, or mounting hardware that standard solar panels need. It's less than a millimeter thick and much lighter than conventional panels, pound for pound, while still converting sunlight to electricity at a rate the company says is competitive with standard solar cells.

For now, this isn't something homeowners can buy for their roof. SolarWindow is selling it only to large manufacturers in the U.S., aimed at uses like truck and fleet vehicle roofs, trains, boats, drones, and aircraft. The company says it plans to expand into more markets in North America and Asia later on, but there's no residential rollout mentioned.

The more relevant development for houses down the road is something the company is still developing, called LiquidElectricity: a transparent coating that could turn ordinary glass and plastic into a source of electricity, including from indoor light or light that's dim or reflected. If it works as described, it raises the idea of windows themselves generating power. But this is still in development, with no product, pricing, or availability announced. For now, there's nothing here that changes what's available for home solar or window upgrades — it's a preview of technology aimed first at vehicles and industry, with a possible future application to buildings still to come.