Turn Your Window Blinds into Solar Panels with SolarGaps

Zach Riley

May 18, 2017

Solar energy is a really big deal and is only becoming more commonplace and affordable as time goes by. What was once prohibitively expensive to set up is now available to a much wider range of consumers. With Elon Musk touting the benefits of solar roof tiles that are aesthetic and blend in perfectly with the design of your house, it was only a matter of time before another company came up with a clever way to disguise energy generators in a convenient and effective manner. Enter SolarGaps, a new product on kickstarter that aims to turn your window blinds into a source of solar power.

SolarGaps are energy generating solar panel window blinds that are the obvious solution to anyone who doesn’t have the resources to install more expensive solar power solutions or even for renters who can’t make any real modifications to the structure of their home. The developers behind SolarGaps claim the product is able to reduce monthly energy bills by up to 70% using these unique blinds. The SolarGaps automatically track the position of the sun over the course of the day and adjust their positioning to maximize efficient solar energy collection.

SolarGaps are designed to be non-permanent with an easily removable bracket so even apartment renters can get in on the solar energy action. Homeowners that are willing to make a little more extensive modifications can do so to maximize the energy collection of their blinds. Each SolarGaps blind can generate 100-150W of renewable energy per 10 sq ft of window. That’s enough to power 30 LED lightbulbs or 3 Macbooks!

Smart home features are becoming increasingly common with many homeowners adopting smart devices controllable by the Amazon Echo or Google Home. The SolarGaps are designed to be easily controlled by your smart home hub, with options to adjust based on voice, temperature, or when controlled through the smartphone app.

The blinds are a little bit pricey for the larger sized models, but for the smaller ones you can get started with just a few hundred dollars and start to see a difference in your energy bill right away! Take a look at the Kickstarter for more information.