But, as many homeowners already know, installing solar panels can be quite cost-prohibitive. New research might just have solved that problem by incorporating solar hardware into the most basic light filter used in architecture: the window.

According to a study, solar windows could filter out a portion of light and convert about a third of it to electricity. By utilizing a "diffuse cloud of quantum dots," the glass would still meet "the highest standards for indoor lighting."

The quantum dots are made of "copper, indium, and selenium, covered in a layer of zinc sulfide." They absorb a broad band of the solar spectrum but convert it to "specific wavelength in the infrared," which happens to be ideal for absorption by a silicon photovoltaic. 

There would be a good deal of energy loss in the conversion process compared to a panel installed on a roof, but as Ars Technica notes, that's not really the point. Contemporary architecture tends to use vast amounts of glazing – by harvesting even a bit of that potential, we could accomplish a lot.

Considering that building maintenance remains the largest area of energy consumption globally, technology like this suggests an urban future that's a bit brighter.

For a more in-depth look at the technology, click here.