--- title: "What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar" description: "How can a solar panel work without sunlight? Solar panels collect energy indoors under artificial light sources, but on a much smaller scale." type: article version: 1 version_id: "bfebd1f8-bb56-474e-9594-c33135823be2" generated_at: "2026-06-01T17:45:21.301Z" author: "Seth Hansen" date_published: "2021-03-02T15:04:00.000Z" date_modified: "2024-03-18T18:07:33.245Z" language: en reading_time: "7 min" word_count: 1270 keywords: ["What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar"] url: "https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2021/03/02/what-you-need-to-know-about-indoor-solar" --- # What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar > How can a solar panel work without sunlight? Solar panels collect energy indoors under artificial light sources, but on a much smaller scale. ## Key Takeaways - Make IoT and Low Power Electronics Last Forever - Are All Indoor Environments The Same? - Do All Solar Panels Work Indoors? ## Contents - [Make IoT and Low Power Electronics Last Forever](#make-iot-and-low-power-electronics-last-forever) - [Are All Indoor Environments The Same?](#are-all-indoor-environments-the-same) - [Do All Solar Panels Work Indoors?](#do-all-solar-panels-work-indoors) 2 min read # What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar [Samuel Jones](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/author/samuel-jones) : Updated on March 18, 2024 [Internet of Things](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/internet-of-things) [Solar Education](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/solar-education) What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar 4:30 Indoor solar is somewhat of an oxymoron.  How can a solar panel work without sunlight?  Solar panels, or Photovoltaics (PV), work via the photoelectric effect, which converts light into electricity.  This effect still happens indoors under artificial light sources, but on a much smaller scale since the absolute light intensity is up to a thousand times less.  With so little power, what could you possibly do with it?  In this post, we will walk through what you need to know about using PV indoors, where and when to use it, and how to get started.  **Take this blog post with you!** ## Make IoT and Low Power Electronics Last Forever Have you ever been through the frustrating experience of changing the battery on your electronic door lock and thought to yourself, “Is there a way to make this thing last forever”? Indoor PV does precisely that. Cutting-edge next-generation IoT devices and networks stand to benefit the most.  Electronic price tags (ESLs) that don’t need batteries, BLE, and cellular trackers that never die, or set and forget smart home and industrial sensors with zero ongoing maintenance.  These are just some of the endless opportunities where indoor PV adds significant value to a use case, device, or system.  ## Are All Indoor Environments The Same?  Many indoor environments have different brightnesses, lighting conditions, light sources, and devices that may be stationary or mobile.  The good news is that most indoor environments can support basic device functionality. Brighter environments will provide more power which means increased device functionality.  The chart below shows the typical light level of common indoor spaces and the expected PV output.  A warehouse shelf could be anywhere from 50-200 lux, which is enough power to run short-range beacons and low-power sensors.  Retail stores, office spaces, and other bright indoor environments may be several times brighter, able to support longer-range trackers, displays, locks, and more.  Installations directly underneath light fixtures or on windows generate even more power and support gateways, modems, and other medium power applications.  ## Do All Solar Panels Work Indoors?    Most PV is optimized to collect direct sunlight and may not work indoors.  Minor material defects and spectral differences can prevent a traditional panel from performing.  The chart below shows the indoor performance of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si), Crystalline Silicon (c-Si), and Gallium Arsenide (GaAs). As you can see, a-Si significantly outperforms the traditional technologies, c-Si, and GaAs, under a low-intensity LED spectrum.  PowerFilm’s [Indoor Light Series](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/electronic-component-solar-panels/indoor-light-series) a-Si thin-film solar panels are designed and guaranteed to provide high performance in indoor light settings.  How To Get Started Getting started with indoor solar is easy!  PowerFilm offers several standard designs and plug and play development kits that include everything you need to power a device with an indoor PV cell.  The [Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC and CAP-XX Supercapacitors](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/development-kits/solar-development-kit-with-e-peas-pmic-cap-xx-supercapacitors) is a total power management solution to directly power and prototype with external electronics. Using the e-peas AEM10941, this kit comes with PV cells, a rechargeable battery, implements energy harvesting, battery charging, and output regulation to bridge the gap between solar and electronics. The [Solar Development Kit with Nordic BLE (DEV-BLE-NS)](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/development-kits/solar-development-kit-with-nordic-ble) is perfect for developers looking to design or add PowerFilm’s high-performance solar to BLE products. It includes an onboard energy harvester/power management IC, nRF52832 BLE circuitry, solar panels, and all required components to be plug and play. Check out our standard [Indoor Light Series](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/electronic-component-solar-panels/indoor-light-series) panels, available on [Digi-Key](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/solar-cells/514?s=N4IgjCBcoLQBxVAYygMwIYBsDOBTANCAPZQDa4AnBQGwgC6AvoTACyIgqQY4HFkjVqABgBMFeoQAOAFyggQDRUA) and [Mouser](https://www.mouser.com/PowerFilm/Power/Solar-Panels-Solar-Cells/Indoor-Light-Series/_/N-fb8ui?P=1y814l8Z1y814l3), or explore a custom size using our [Custom Solar Panel Design Tool](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/custom-solutions/custom-solar-panel-design-tool).   To learn more about indoor solar, visit our related blog posts below. [Outdoor vs. Indoor Solar: The Key Differences](/education/the-horizon-blog/2018/8/10/outdoor-vs-indoor-solar-the-key-differences) [What Features Are Most Important For Energy Harvesting PMICs?](/education/the-horizon-blog/2020/12/01/what-features-are-most-important-for-energy-harvesting-pmics) [Benefits of Single Cell Solar Designs](/education/the-horizon-blog/2020/03/03/benefits-of-single-cell-solar-designs) [Solar Energy Harvesting vs. Coin Cell Battery: Which Is Better?](/education/the-horizon-blog/2020/08/04/solar-energy-harvesting-vs-coin-cell-battery-which-is-better) [What Makes A Wireless Protocol Low Power?](/education/the-horizon-blog/2019/09/13/what-makes-a-wireless-protocol-low-power)  There are endless applications and use cases for indoor solar.  If you have specific questions or would like to know if you can use indoor solar for your application or device, please [contact us](https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/explore/contact-us).   We look forward to developing the next generation of self-powered IoT devices with you. **Take this blog post with you!**  - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) - #### Daniel Ditshego 5/29/2022, 2:00:39 PM Hi Sir, This is actually what I am looking for, an indoor solar system which can work on my appliances in my personal space. Please continue to inform me about products use and application. I really want to be equiped in time of load shedding. Yours Sincerely Daniel #### Seth Hansen 6/2/2022, 2:59:16 PM Daniel, Thanks so much for reaching out, but unfortunately the amount of energy created by an indoor solar panel is going to be very very small relative to the amount of power used by a common household appliance. These panels are great for ultra-low-power applications that use Bluetooth Low Energy or something similar. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I am happy to assist. #### Amit kumar Dwivedi 9/30/2022, 10:22:33 AM i am looking for an indoor solar panel for charge my Samsung INR18650-25R 3.7V 2500mAh 20A Discharge. Please suggest something. #### Seth Hansen 9/30/2022, 1:01:23 PM Thanks so much for reaching out. Unfortunately, our indoor material won't produce enough power to charge your battery. I'm going to send you an email so you can tell us more about your application, and we can direct you to the best solution that we offer. Thanks! #### Thomas Tribble 3/16/2023, 1:54:16 AM I need a 5v 0.15w panel for indoor use... What size panels do you have form that? TY #### Seth Hansen 3/16/2023, 1:26:49 PM Thomas, thanks so much for your comment. The best place to learn more about our indoor panel capabilities is using our custom design tool. https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/custom-solutions/custom-solar-panel-design-tool I'll reach out via email as well and answer any additional questions you might have. Thanks again! #### JJm WHITEHEAD 5/25/2024, 5:32:01 PM Prices for indoor solar panels please #### Seth Hansen 5/28/2024, 12:57:16 PM Thanks so much for your comment. I'll be reaching out to you directly via email. [](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/outdoor-vs.-indoor-solar-panels-key-differences-use-cases-and-performance-considerations) #### [Outdoor vs. Indoor Solar Panels: Key Differences, Use Cases, and Performance Considerations](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/outdoor-vs.-indoor-solar-panels-key-differences-use-cases-and-performance-considerations) [Seth Hansen](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/author/seth-hansen) : January 26, 2026 [Internet of Things](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/internet-of-things) [Solar Education](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/solar-education) [Read More](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/outdoor-vs.-indoor-solar-panels-key-differences-use-cases-and-performance-considerations) [](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2019/08/02/how-does-partial-shade-affect-solar-panels) #### [How Does Partial Shade Affect Different Types of Solar Panels?](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2019/08/02/how-does-partial-shade-affect-solar-panels) [Seth Hansen](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/author/seth-hansen) : August 2, 2019 [Solar Education](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/solar-education) [Read More](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2019/08/02/how-does-partial-shade-affect-solar-panels) [](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2018/02/23/how-to-size-a-solar-panel-for-your-battery) #### [How To Size A Solar Panel For Your Battery](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2018/02/23/how-to-size-a-solar-panel-for-your-battery) [Daniel Stieler, Phd](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/author/daniel-stieler-phd) : February 23, 2018 [Solar Education](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/tag/solar-education) [Read More](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2018/02/23/how-to-size-a-solar-panel-for-your-battery) --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Are All Indoor Environments The Same? Many indoor environments have different brightnesses, lighting conditions, light sources, and devices that may be stationary or mobile. The good news is that most indoor environments can support basic device functionality. Brighter environments will provide more power which means increased device functionality. The chart below shows the typical light level of common indoor spaces and the expected PV output. A warehouse shelf could be anywhere from 50-200 lux, which is enough power to run short-range beacons and low-power sensors. Retail stores, office spaces, and other bright indoor environments may be several times brighter, able to support longer-range trackers, displays, locks, and more. Installations directly underneath light fixtures or on windows generate even more power and support gateways, modems, and other medium power applications. ### Do All Solar Panels Work Indoors? Most PV is optimized to collect direct sunlight and may not work indoors. Minor material defects and spectral differences can prevent a traditional panel from performing. The chart below shows the indoor performance of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si), Crystalline Silicon (c-Si), and Gallium Arsenide (GaAs). As you can see, a-Si significantly outperforms the traditional technologies, c-Si, and GaAs, under a low-intensity LED spectrum. PowerFilm’s Indoor Light Series a-Si thin-film solar panels are designed and guaranteed to provide high performance in indoor light settings. Getting started with indoor solar is easy! PowerFilm offers several standard designs and plug and play development kits that include everything you need to power a device with an indoor PV cell. The Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC and CAP-XX Supercapacitors is a total power management solution to directly power and prototype with external electronics. Using the e-peas AEM10941, this kit comes with PV cells, a rechargeable battery, implements energy harvesting, battery charging, and output regulation to bridge the gap between solar and electronics. The Solar Development Kit with Nordic BLE (DEV-BLE-NS) is perfect for developers looking to design or add PowerFilm’s high-performance solar to BLE products. It includes an onboard energy harvester/power management IC, nRF52832 BLE circuitry, solar panels, and all required components to be plug and play. Check out our standard Indoor Light Series panels, available on Digi-Key and Mouser, or explore a custom size using our Custom Solar Panel Design Tool. To learn more about indoor solar, visit our related blog posts below. Outdoor vs. Indoor Solar: The Key Differences What Features Are Most Important For Energy Harvesting PMICs? Benefits of Single Cell Solar Designs Solar Energy Harvesting vs. Coin Cell Battery: Which Is Better? What Makes A Wireless Protocol Low Power? There are endless applications and use cases for indoor solar. If you have specific questions or would like to know if you can use indoor solar for your application or device, please contact us. We look forward to developing the next generation of self-powered IoT devices with you. Take this blog post with you! --- ## About This Content **Source:** [What You Need To Know About Indoor Solar](https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2021/03/02/what-you-need-to-know-about-indoor-solar) **Author:** Seth Hansen **Published:** March 2, 2021 *This content is provided for informational purposes. Please visit the original source for the most up-to-date information.*