Scientists Double Solar Cell Efficiency
Carbon-Based Solar Cell that is Cost Effective, Coming Soon
Kyocera Achieves World Record Solar Module Efficiency
SiOnyx Raises Funding for Black Silicon Technology
Soliant Energy Residential Solar Concentrators to bring down cost of Residential Solar
Glitter Sized Photovoltaic Cells Use Less Silicon, Generate More Electricity
One-Step Process for Photovoltaic Cell Production Could Make Solar Competitive
Three Layered Solar Panel by RSLE Claims Ultra-Efficiency
Solar Film for Windows uses Shrinky Dinks
New Technology Could Triple Efficiency of Solar Panels
Self-Repairing Solar Cells Mimic Photosynthesis
Ultra-Lightweight, Affordable Solar Panel Technology uses 1/100 of Silicon in Conventional
IBM Nanochips Save Energy Using Light Pulses Instead of Copper
Paper-Thin Solar Cells Could Reach Market in 5 Years
Solarmer Energy, Inc. Continues to Break World Records with 7.6% Efficient Plastic Solar C
The Secret to a Better Solar Cell? A Trillion Holes
Black Silicon allows for Cheaper & More Efficient Solar Cell
At its most basic, solar cell technology relies on the ability of the solar cell to capture the sun’s light and convert it to electricity. The operative word here is ‘capture’. The better the solar cell is at capturing rather than reflecting light, the more efficient the solar cell is likely to be. This makes a new, inexpensive silicon etching technology developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of particular interest to solar cell manufacturers.
NREL’s chloroauric acid etching process can create a trillion holes in a compact disc-sized silicon wafer. These holes cause the silicon to appear black - a product known as black silicon - which makes it highly light-absorbent. This light-absorbency is critical in efficiently using the sun’s wavelengths to convert solar photons into the electrons needed for solar energy. If this new silicon material could be integrated into a solar cell, the cell could potentially be more efficient and cost-effective than traditional solar cells.
After experimenting with the sizes of the holes in the silicon wafer, NREL researchers came up with a workable silicon solar cell that is just slightly less efficient than the current record of 16.8 percent efficiency. However, the inexpensive solar cell manufacturing process would offset the minor reduction in efficiency.
NREL plans to continue research because even small gains in solar cell efficiency translate into significant market advantage.
Recommended for Further Reading:
- Scientists Double Solar Cell Efficiency
- Carbon-Based Solar Cell that is Cost Effective, Coming Soon
- Kyocera Achieves World Record Solar Module Efficiency
- SiOnyx Raises Funding for Black Silicon Technology
- Soliant Energy Residential Solar Concentrators to bring down cost of Residential Solar
- Glitter Sized Photovoltaic Cells Use Less Silicon, Generate More Electricity
- One-Step Process for Photovoltaic Cell Production Could Make Solar Competitive
- Three Layered Solar Panel by RSLE Claims Ultra-Efficiency
- Solar Film for Windows uses Shrinky Dinks
- New Technology Could Triple Efficiency of Solar Panels
- Self-Repairing Solar Cells Mimic Photosynthesis
- Ultra-Lightweight, Affordable Solar Panel Technology uses 1/100 of Silicon in Conventional
- IBM Nanochips Save Energy Using Light Pulses Instead of Copper
- Paper-Thin Solar Cells Could Reach Market in 5 Years
- Solarmer Energy, Inc. Continues to Break World Records with 7.6% Efficient Plastic Solar C
Solar cells are the basic component of any active system used to convert sunlight into a form of energy. Traditionally, solar cells were used as the key part of panel systems that generated electricity or heat for homes. These days, the technology is used in a wide variety of applications, which means the style of solar cells vary per application. .
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The Secret to a Better Solar Cell? A Trillion Holes: Black Silicon allows for Cheaper & More Efficient Solar Cell
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