New Energy Technologies has announced they have successfully generated electricity on flexible plastic using their ‘spray-on’ coating methods. Last year, the company engaged in a successful public demonstration of its SolarWindow application on glass. When applied, electricity is generated from the glass, but doesn’t block the sun – you can see still the view outside your window. Since this breakthrough, the company has been working on applications beyond glass.

“Today’s breakthrough supports a brand new commercial application for our core SolarWindow™ technology and is the direct result of numerous patent-pending methods, materials, and processes we have worked hard to invent and develop,” said Mr. John A. Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc.

There is optimism from the scientific community that commercially developed electricity-generating flexible plastic could be deployed as tinted window film, which remains see-through while generating electrical power. The achievements from New Energy researchers were accomplished by spraying the electricity-generating coatings onto flexible, lightweight lab-scale plastic (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”) at room temperature and at low pressure. The company believes this product will lower manufacturing costs and is now moving forward with plans for commercial development.