Solar energy as we know it today has a great potential, but could need some help with the efficiency part. Apparently, solar cells are not very economical: almost one third of the light is reflected from the surface and the panel’s materials only reabsorb some of the energy.
Having identified the problem, researchers at the Solar3d Company resolved half of it. They developed a prototype design of its three-dimensional solar cell technology that is planned to capture more potential energy than regular photovoltaics.
Inspired by the fiber optics technology, a special collector catches the light and conducts it to the subsurface structure. In addition to this, the design minimizes the transfer of electrons from the surface to create an electrical current, preventing it to lose energy.
Issue solved! The company now wants to patent the design and then move to the next level – producing it at the same facilities which currently commercialize electronic components. More precisely, it will be assembled on high-speed semiconductor machines, giving the possibility to have the existing equipment be used again and again.
In other words, the plants don’t have to invest a penny to buy extra equipment, but they can simply use the one they already have. More details on the efficiency of the technology are expected within a few weeks, but the “preview” looks like a step further into the widespread use of the solar panels.
[via SmartPlanet]
