While many automotive pundits can tell you that below 45mph, it’s best to keep the sunroof open and the air conditioner off, a new development may add some new data to that equation. Building on existing solar technologies, Sunrise Solar is manufacturing a solar-collecting sunroof which could have a significant impact across the automotive world.

Though it’s doubtful the solar collector will be able to bring in enough electricity to completely compensate for an air conditioner, it could certainly reduce the energy load on the engine, and help maintain battery charge in cars during long periods of idleness or in extremely cold conditions.

Perhaps the most promising application for this product will be in battery-only or hybrid powered cars, as a way to charge the battery while parked at a location distant from an electric charging station, or to reduce fuel consumption when the vehicle is traveling at highway speeds and recharging the battery.

Functioning as a normal sunroof when not in use for power collection, the technologies employed in the solar sunroof may also find applications in other windows on the car, making for sleek, unobtrusive means of power generation that could be easily applied to nearly any other vehicle in the future.