New technology being developed in New York could allow office windows to be transformed into solar power generators, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology has designed a solar system that, unlike regular flat panels, would consist of a grid of pyramids. It would have a higher efficiency than traditional cells because each pyramid module would track the sun and focus light through a lens onto the solar cell. Cooling water would also be used to maximize efficiency.

The technology could tackle problems associated with heating, cooling and lighting buildings, according to the report. While the pyramids would obstruct the view from the windows, they would also prevent glare from the morning sun.

"The reason we're interested in windows is because they have the largest surface areas, typically, in buildings - especially in tall, urban buildings," Anna Dyson, the project's principal investigator, told the wire service.

The project is currently being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. It will soon be tested on a research building in Syracuse, a city not known for its sunlight. The report said that this location would allow researchers to test in weaker solar climates.

CASE has also researched active building envelopes, a solar technology used to transfer heat.