Korean researchers and Samsung SDI have developed a window that can be used to generate electric power. Bae Byeong-Soo, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said that the building integrated photovoltalic (BIPV) cells made by coating windows with Sol-Gel material have reached power efficiency of 11 percent in laboratory tests. However, more research needs to be carried out to raise sustained efficiency from 8.9 %. The team is also concentrating to make models capable of commercial use in 4-5 years. "Sustained efficiency of at least 10 percent and overall durability need to be reached," he said. Conventional solar panels can be used almost indefinitely with little drop in power generating efficiency, but the output of those using coating materials or film usually drop. Conventional solar panels also have higher power efficiency of around 15 percent.

Almost $17.90 million has been pumped into this project so far and it has support from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy since 2002.

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