March 22, 2011
Updated Mar 21, 2011 at 7:52 PM PDT
Chicago’s iconic Willis Tower (formally the Sears Tower) is set to become a massive solar electric plant with the installation of a pilot solar electric glass project.
Design website Inhabitat.com is reporting the high-profile project on the building's south side of the 56th floor will replace the windows with a new type of photovoltaic glass. The glass allows in enough light and preserves views while reducing heat gain and producing the same energy as a conventional solar panel.
The project could grow to 2 MW in size — which is comparable to a 10 acre field of solar panels — turning North America’s tallest building into a huge urban vertical solar farm.
TXT 24
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