To generate electricity, they need to absorb light (hence dark) not reflect it (white), and there are inefficiencies, which end up as heat. Technically no, we

To generate electricity, they need to absorb light (hence dark) not reflect it (white), and there are inefficiencies, which end up as heat. Technically no, we could produce solar cells that release no more heat than sand, but it would either substantially reduce output per area, and/or call for more complicated, different types of solar cells than we currently produce, possibly with more toxic materials. There are semi-transparent solar cells in production today, but their output per area is about 1/10 of traditional ones. I like the checkerboard idea.