Solar
power was in a constant
state of innovation in 2019, with new advances in solar panel technology
announced almost every week. In the past year alone, there have been milestones
in solar efficiency, solar energy storage, wearable solar tech and solar design
tech. Solar energy remains one of the most used forms of renewable energy.
However, it is
generally not the only option used when creating power. This is because solar
cells are limited in the amount of power created. No matter how bright the
sunlight or how many hours of continual sunlight, the solar power
cells create a certain amount without going higher. This leaves
untapped solar power bypassing the cells. However, with a recent creation in
Abu Dhabi, it looks as if individuals looking to power their homes with solar
energy or cities looking for ways to generate renewable energy can look more
towards solar power than ever before.
The new creation
takes the basic solar cell and both concentrates and separates the sunlight
into different spectrums. Essentially, it allows the sunlight to travel through
a prism. The prism (similar to prisms used in elementary school science
projects) filters out the unnecessary material that is not used to create
energy and boosts the concentration of the solar power, which is directed
towards the cell. It also helps focused the light so it can be harnessed into a
much higher, more contracted energy.
Advances in Solar Cell Technology
Researchers have
longed looked for ways to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of
solar cells - the life blood of solar
PV systems. A solar PV array is comprised of hundreds, sometimes
thousands of solar cells, that individually convert radiant sun light into
electrical currents. The average solar cell is approximately 15% efficient,
which means nearly 85% of the sunlight that hits them does not get converted
into electricity. As such, scientists have constantly been experimenting with
new technologies to boost this light capture and conversion.
In the traditional
form of solar energy, the cells transform light energy into electricity. During
this process, only some of the sun’s light is absorbed. It only converts, at
maximum, 18 percent of the light into electricity. With the new prism based
solar cells, it is now possible to boost production to around 40 percent of
that given off by the sun. This way, it is 2.5 times as efficient as the former
devices, all without drastically increasing the price of the solar cells. There
truly is a new method for creating solar energy and for boosting the production
of energy while using the light from the sun itself.
In truth, there is
plenty to look forward to in the solar panel market but if you are considering
solar panels for commercial use then none of these new solar technologies will
arrive before federal tax. So it's a prudent idea to talk to one or more solar
providers near you and arrange a solar cost and savings estimate tailored to
your commercial use as current solar incentives make solar a an attractive
investment in 2019.
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