Reducing your apartment, home, or business electricity bill is always a challenge. We’ve all heard of the solar panel idea for years but most of us probably don’t invest in such expensive things. And for renters, it generally isn’t allowed to put these on the roof. So how can we save?
SolarGaps are smart window blinds that can save us up to 70% on electric bills. It is currently past the halfway mark of its funding on Kickstarter. These blinds automatically track the sun throughout the day, adjusting position to optimal angles to generate solar electricity, which powers your home or office devices.
It’s important that a product like SolarGaps be non-permanent for renters, which is why it has a simple plug and play installation. Simply mount SolarGaps on the wall over your window using the brackets provided, or install them on the outside of your home. Next, plug SolarGaps into a power outlet and eventually lower your energy bills by feeding electricity back to the grid. Engineered to help renters, homeowners, and small businesses reduce usage, SolarGaps also transitions them to energy independence.
Built-in solar panels can generate up to 100-150W of renewable energy per 10 square feet of a window, which is enough to power 30 LED light bulbs or three MacBooks. Not only do the SolarGaps generate solar energy, but it can also save energy by shading the inside of your home and reducing air conditioning costs by up to 40%.
Some electric companies purchase green energy via a two-way meter they provide. You can either store the energy surplus, or sell it to them. I’d call that a very financially smart feature. Speaking of smart features, you can easily integrate with devices like Google Home, Echo, Nest and more to control by voice, temperature, or smartphone app.
The unique thing about SolarGaps is that it really looks like your traditional window blinds. The photovoltaic cells within the blinds generate electricity without making your windows look strange.
Photovoltaic systems produce the most power during the day, when demand and price for electricity is high. You can setup SolarGaps to match your own schedule and needs. For example, the blinds can be setup to open automatically when you want to wake up, or close at a predetermined time. It can even be set to open automatically when someone enters a room, keeping your house bright inside.
The internet connected app provides weather information to help generate energy more efficiently. SolarGaps connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth allowing for basic controls to raise or lower the blinds, and also to display how much energy is being generated. Currently available solar panel options are not nearly as cool as this is.
SolarGaps are available for pre-order starting at $390 on Kickstarter with expected delivery this September. Includes a set of extra-small sized SolarGaps, Wi-Fi enabled control electronics with sensor, and the remote control. A reserve now and pay later option is available also for $249. You also can get the SolarGaps Slat device charger on its own for $39.
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