Scientists from MISiS have developed a flexible solar battery three times cheaper than silicon panels
Source: http://tass.ru/nauka/3193630
MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Scientists from the Research Technological University "MISiS" together with colleagues from the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a flexible solar battery based on a metal-organic compound, the cost of which is at least three times lower than silicon panels, the university's press service reports.
Flexible solar battery developed by NUST MISIS scientists
“A group of scientists from NUST MISIS, led by Professor Anvar Zahidov, presented the technology for creating a thin-film photocell based on a hybrid metal-organic compound - perovskite, which allows converting the energy of solar radiation into electrical energy with an efficiency above 15%, with planned indicators of more than 20%... Today the estimated cost per square meter of perovskite solar panels is less than $100, while the best silicon panels cost $300 per square meter. In mass production, the difference will be 4-6 times,” the report says.
Silicon-based solar cells are expensive due to the high-tech, energy-intensive and toxic production of silicon. In addition, they are much more fragile and less flexible compared to those developed by Russian scientists. The peculiarity of perovskite technology is that the active layers of solar cells based on it can be deposited from liquid solutions onto thin and flexible substrates. This allows you to place solar panels on surfaces of any curvature: translucent window “energy curtains” of houses and cars, facades and roofs of buildings, consumer electronics and much more.
“The main advantage of hybrid perovskites is their ease of production from common metal salts and industrial organic chemicals, rather than from the expensive and rare elements used in high-efficiency semiconductor analogs such as silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells. Equally important, perovskite-based materials can be used to print photoelectronics not only on glass, but also on other materials and surfaces. This makes the batteries much cheaper than with more complex methods of producing thin-film solar cells,” Zahidov said, as quoted in the report.
A significant reduction in the cost of producing solar panels will help increase the share of clean, renewable energy sources in the overall energy pie.
Russian scientists will develop a new type of plastic solar cells
Source: http://tass.ru/ural-news/3174602
EKATERINBURG, April 4. /TASS/. Russian scientists plan to develop the first prototypes of a new generation of plastic solar cells by 2018, the correspondent reported. TASS researcher at the Department for Scientific Innovation Activities of the South Ural State University Oleg Bolshakov. The project is being implemented with grant support from the Russian Science Foundation.
“Together with colleagues from the Moscow Institute of Organic Chemistry, we have been working on the creation of plastic thin-film solar cells of a new generation for 1.5 years now. The first batch of material for solar panels is already ready, it will be tested for 2-3 months in a special laboratory at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland,” Bolshakov said. “Russia does not yet have the necessary certified laboratories, so we turned to foreign specialists. According to the plan, by 2018 we will release the first prototypes,” he added.
According to scientists, the main feature of the new type of solar cells is organic photosensitive material. “Such batteries will not be toxic, and they also do not require a large amount of photosensitive material - 1000 times less compared to batteries of previous generations, so they will also be the most affordable. For these reasons, developments in this direction are being carried out all over the world. But there are no analogues of our technology yet, so the implementation of our project will give us great advantages in the alternative energy of the future,” added Bolshakov.
He also noted that at the moment, experts have to identify the statistical relationship between the structure of materials and efficiency. “Each photocell is characterized by two main parameters - stability and energy efficiency. It is necessary to determine the most successful options from those that we sent to the laboratory, after which they can already be applied to various surfaces. Further scientific work will be related to the improvement of materials,” the scientist explained.
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The newest model of 2017 is a real technical breakthrough in solar energy.
The solar power station "UraletsNT-Infra" generates free electricity around the clock. During the day from the sun. If the sun is in the clouds, she sees it through the clouds in the infrared spectrum and still gives energy. At night, energy is taken from the relict thermal radiation of day-heated objects, stars, and the moon. These are special new generation solar batteries + a high-voltage circuit for converting excess voltage into amperage to feed into the energy system.
Included
1. Uralets MRRT high-voltage 2-nuclear control unit with circuit duplication
2. Inverter 4000W pure sine
3. Solar batteries 100W 10 pieces accumulation (10kW-day) Power reserve for additional solar batteries up to 50 kW per knock without alteration of the power unit. (Simple addition of solar batteries)
4. Battery KVANT 190 Ah, two pcs.
New - a controller for a wind generator as a gift. You can install additional solar panels “Sila” or “Exmork” on it
A solar power plant based on infrared panels literally sees the sun through the clouds and operates at night due to the thermal radiation of objects (the effect of a night vision device)
Solar panels 125 watt infrared
size 1100x1300mm
operating current 2.6 a
voltage 55 volts with conversion to 24 V (Uralets special high-voltage power unit)
“Signs of exclusivity of Uralets power plants”, such as explosion protection, heating control, thermoregulation, climate control, fire alarm, automatic overload protection - are fully preserved in the power unit of the new generation stations, model 2017
Battery included - 190+190 Ah lead-calcium batteries are similar in survivability to gel ones. (This refers to the effect when, with daily use, both gel and calcium batteries last 5 years) However, gel batteries are 2 times more expensive than calcium ones.
And of course - a reliable, time-tested Pure Sine inverter with 4 kW traction and 6 kW peak power "Progress 24-6000" from Alfaelectronics (Novosibirsk) at a factory price of 26,000 rubles with a clear and convenient RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE control menu and warranty and post-warranty repairs in Russia - still occupies a worthy place in the Uralets-Infra system.
About solar energy:
Solar energy is a high-tech industry that has undergone dynamic development in recent years. For the Russian economy, the positive effect of the growing share of solar energy is the creation of high-tech production and jobs, significant tax deductions, and the reduction of harmful emissions. Over time, solar electricity becomes cheaper than traditional generation due to low operating costs and the absence of a fuel component.
0.5% of solar energy could provide all the world's energy needs today
FAQ:
What is insolation?
Insolation - (from Latin in solo exposed to the sun) the amount of electromagnetic energy (radiation) falling on the surface of the earth. Insolation is measured by the number of units of energy falling on a unit surface per unit of time. Typically, insolation is measured in kWh/m2.
How much sun does Russia have?
Russia has a fairly high level of insolation - we have quite a few areas where the average annual solar radiation is 4-5 kWh per square meter per day (this figure is comparable to the south of Germany and the north of Spain - the leading countries in the implementation of solar systems) . At the same time, the high level of insolation in Russia is not only in the south - Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, Caucasus, but also in Altai, and in general in the south of Siberia, the Far East and Transbaikalia - in these regions the number of sunny days per year reaches 300 .
How does a solar power plant work?
The operating principle of the solar module, which is the basis of a solar power plant, is quite simple - the surface of the module captures sunlight and, due to the conductive properties of silicon, converts it into electrical energy.
Solar power plants consist of solar modules connected in a single circuit, inverters and other equipment.
There are two main types of solar power plants: networked - supplying all generated electricity to the network and autonomous.
At autonomous stations, by installing batteries, it is possible to accumulate electricity for use, for example, in the dark.
How to calculate the payback of a solar power installation?
To calculate the payback, the following indicators are required: the power of the solar installation and its annual output (depending on the insolation of the region and the type of modules), the size of the electricity tariff or the cost of connection in the absence of a centralized power supply, as well as the cost of the turnkey installation itself.
For example, the power of a power plant is 3 kW, and its estimated annual output is 5 thousand kWh. With an electricity tariff of 4 rubles, such an installation will save 20 thousand rubles per year.year.
How is solar energy developing in Russia?
Russia has not remained aloof from global trends in the development of solar energy - in Russia there is the production of solar modules, large networked and small autonomous solar power plants are being built, and its own highly efficient technology for the production of heterostructure modules has been developed and patented.
The installed capacity of solar power plants in Russia reaches about 500 MW, and by 2024 it is planned to increase these figures to 1.5 GW. The retail market is also developing - today in Russia, in almost every Russian region there are companies that offer solar solutions.
From the second quarter of 2017, the Hevel group of companies began production of new generation solar modules using heterostructure technology - this is the most promising technology existing today.
One of the most promising new segments that Russia has successfully mastered is hybrid generation using renewable energy sources. In 2013, the world's first autonomous hybrid power plant, powered by solar and diesel generation, was launched in the Altai Republic. Such solutions are promising not only for hard-to-reach and isolated Russian territories, but also as a technology for export - in African and Asian countries, according to various estimates, more than 1.2 billion people do not have access to electricity and spend more than $27 billion annually on kerosene and candles.
When will solar energy be available to everyone?
All over the world, support for solar energy began “from the rooftops” - after installing private solar installations, consumers received either a significant discount on electricity bills or a special “green” tariff at which they could supply electricity to the grid. This ensured the accelerated growth of technology, and the development of competition, economies of scale and automation of production led to the fact that capital costs for the construction of solar power plants in the world over the past 8 years have decreased by 5 times. The production of components has already been localized in Russia, so regardless of the exchange rate, solar energy will continue to become cheaper for Russian consumers.
Today, due to the technological features of the energy system and regulatory regulation of the market, 90% of all “green” energy installations of small power - up to 10 kW - are autonomous or hybrid systems that are not included in a single energy system. The technological inclusion of private owners of solar installations in the work of the retail electricity market today, although not formally prohibited, is difficult to implement in practice - there are no provisions in Russian legislation defining the status of such a consumer-producer, and energy sales companies have no obligation to purchase “solar” volumes of electricity. However, in a number of Russian regions there are already examples of energy sales companies purchasing “green” electricity from ordinary consumers.
Now the government has instructed to study the issue of simplifying the sale of green electricity from private households to the general grid. We will monitor developments in 2017.
Another form of support for renewable energy is subsidizing loans for the purchase of solar power plants. In Russia, this lending segment is just beginning to develop, but this is a matter of 2-3 years and soon it will be no more difficult to buy a solar installation for a dacha in installments or on a preferential loan than to buy household appliances.
What are the prospects for solar energy today?
In 2016, there was a real boom in solar energy - according to estimates from various analytical agencies, about 76 GW of solar capacity was built.
So the prospects are very bright - investments in solar energy are growing, and Russia simply cannot remain on the sidelines. We have a huge number of energy-scarce territories isolated from the general network with high levels of insolation, where the development of solar energy is not only effective, but will also save millions of budget funds, which are now being spent on curbing the growth of electricity tariffs.
Thanks to the active development of technology, there are more and more opportunities for an economical and safe way to heat country houses. The new generation is an opportunity to obtain energy from natural phenomena, and besides, the energy of the sun is inexhaustible.
What are they good for?
The first solar panels appeared a long time ago. Today, these systems have been modernized and improved, so it is possible to choose new heating methods. Solar panels for a private home have a number of advantages compared to conventional methods of heating premises:
- Your home will be provided with heat exactly as much as you need.
- You will always be in control of the temperature balance in your home at a level that is comfortable for you.
- Your heating system will be completely automatic and independent of how utilities operate.
- You can significantly save on energy bills due to the fact that the batteries have a long service life.
Design features
The new generation consists of photovoltaic cells packed in a common frame. Each cell is made from semiconductor materials, most often silicon. The rays hit the metal, heat it, absorbing its own energy. When energy flows into the semiconductor, electrons are released. The photocell is supplemented by an electric field. Its task is to direct free electrons in a certain direction, and it is this flow that contributes to the formation of electric current. The photocell can be supplemented with metal contacts at the top and bottom, so that the current will be directed through the wires, which will ensure the operation of other devices.
How does it work?
The new generation solar battery in its classic form has the following device:
- a battery that serves as a DC generator;
- a battery having a device that controls the charge;
- an inverter whose task is to convert direct current into alternating current.
The battery itself is solar cells (also called photovoltaic converters), thanks to which solar energy is converted into electrical energy.
Operating principle
Solar panels for a private home are a profitable and simple, albeit expensive solution. Experts note that, despite the large investments, the system will justify these costs within a year of operation. In addition, it can be used all year round. The operating principle of a solar station is as follows:
- The main source of energy is the sun's rays. They end up on panels - tubular radiators, which are placed in a box. Its upper part is completely glazed and faces the sun. It is in these boxes that it accumulates and is transmitted further through the system.
- Radiators can be welded from steel pipes, and you need to choose products of different thicknesses.
- The walls of the box should be constructed from boards of a certain thickness and length. Plywood and hardboard are used for the bottom, and the reinforcement is done with slats. It is important that the box is thoroughly insulated. To do this, they are insulated with foam plastic.
We take into account the nuances
Of course, solar stations are profitable, simple, convenient and versatile. But it is worth considering several features of their installation:
- It is advisable to install solar panels if there are many sunny days in your region;
- installing a system is expensive, especially if you need to power a large house. But solar panels for the home received good reviews precisely due to the fact that, despite the high cost, the system pays for itself within the first years of operation;
- For the station to work efficiently, it is important that the roof angle is at least forty-five degrees. There should be no tall buildings or trees around the batteries that will form a shadow, thereby interfering with the efficient operation of the station;
- When installing batteries on the roof, keep in mind that the system elements have an impressive weight. Therefore, carefully consider their location on the roof.
Types and features
Solar panels for a private home can be presented in the form of small or large photovoltaic systems. Panels whose batteries have a maximum voltage of 24 volts are considered small. According to reviews, such systems are enough to generate energy, the amount of which is sufficient to operate a TV or lighting in the house. The peculiarity of large systems is the ability to provide electrical energy to a medium-sized home.
As standard, the battery includes a solar vacuum collector, a controller (controls the efficiency of the system), a pump that supplies coolant to the tank from the collector, a water tank, a heat pump and an electric heating element. With a high power heating system, you can not only provide the house with hot water, but also install a heated floor.
What to consider?
Solar panels can be used for the dacha, but to achieve this goal it is important to install it correctly. And for this, firstly, you need to proceed from the number of people living in the room, secondly, from the area of the housing, and thirdly, from the amount of energy consumed. To heat a country house with solar stations, it is important that its roof has a pitch angle of at least thirty degrees, and the station itself should be located on the sunniest side.
What are the advantages of new generation batteries?
The use of energy has not been studied by the first generation of scientists. As a consequence, a new generation of modern solar cells was developed. Its uniqueness is that it will provide the house with energy even when the sky is covered with clouds. Nanotechnology based on a spectrum of wave frequencies was used to create batteries. As a result, such solar stations will be more economical; moreover, the battery itself is a film that can be glued to any household items. As reviews say, it is necessary to install such stations in open areas, covering large areas, which will allow generating large amounts of solar energy.
A new generation of solar panels for home use, based on lead perovskite replaced by tin, has become an even more advanced system. According to the developers, this technological solution leads to the fact that the efficiency of the batteries is much greater than when using lead. In addition to increasing efficiency, it is also possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing new stations.
Tesla: what's special?
As the developers note, the good thing about the new Powerwall systems is that they will accumulate energy, so they can be used even on sunless days. In the future, the United States of America plans to completely switch to new energy sources of a new generation. Sales of Powerwall batteries have already begun!
Can I do it myself?
Solar batteries for the home have also received good reviews due to the fact that they can be assembled with your own hands. To do this, you need to prepare the structural elements of the future station:
- a storage tank and a fore-chamber, which will be located in the attic of the house;
- the water level in the chamber must be at least a meter higher than the water level in the tank;
- solar collectors are located on the south side of the house, on the roof, maintaining an inclination angle of thirty-five to forty-five degrees;
- elements of the structural system are connected by two types of pipes - inch and half-inch;
- all pipe connections must be as tight and thermally insulated as possible;
- Solar heating systems are filled with water.
What about in winter?
Many people say that new generation solar panels can only be used in summer. The photos show that depending on the volume of space, systems can be very different in size. As for the operation of stations in winter, the developers note: the main source of their operation is sunlight, and electromagnetic radiation will reach the Earth at any time of the year. It's just that when it's cloudy, slightly less energy is produced. Solar panels will work effectively even if snow gets on them. But it is worth understanding that in winter the efficiency of the systems is still lower compared to sunny summer weather.
For many millennia, humanity has used natural resources to obtain energy. Starting with wood, which was burned to keep warm and cook food, and ending with nuclear energy. The earth's reserves turned out to be non-eternal, and the needs of modern society are incomparably high in comparison with the renewal processes. The most promising direction in the search for alternative energy sources has become new solar panel technologies.
Brilliant invention
Already at the end of the 19th century. scientists began to think about using solar energy. The reason was the work of the famous French physicist A. Becquerel - “Electrical phenomena arising from the illumination of bodies.” In it, he described the photovoltaic effect - the occurrence of voltage or electric current in substances under the influence of light. An invaluable contribution was made in 1873 by the English electrical engineer W. Smith, who discovered the photoconductivity of selenium. In 1887, the German physicist Hertz discovered the external photoelectric effect by studying the release of electrons from a substance when exposed to light.
For more than half a century, scientists have been working on creating a direct light-to-electricity converter. In the 1950s Bell Laboratories specialists created the first full-fledged solar panel. New technologies immediately aroused great interest in the space sector and, after only 4 years, American and Soviet satellites equipped with solar panels were launched into space.
Solar Energy Today
It would seem, why build nuclear reactors when a little more than 8 light minutes away from us there is a thermonuclear source of colossal energy - the Sun. If we imagine the power of the photon flux in Watts, then on average, taking into account pole-equator, day-night and summer-winter, we get 325 W per 1 m². Considering the earth's surface area is 510.1 million km², it turns out that our planet constantly receives 165.7 trillion kW per hour.
In one day, as much energy comes from the Sun to the Earth as all the power plants in the world cannot produce in a year.
Conversion of light energy
Currently, the use of solar energy has become an urgent task. After all, this is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to generate electricity and heat. Compared to thermal power plants, the final price of electricity for the consumer is 80% cheaper. The need for alternative sources of inexpensive electricity has increased the demand for solar panels, and competition between manufacturers has stimulated the scientific development of new technologies.
There are 3 ways to convert light energy, which are already widely used around the world.
This is the easiest way using inexpensive equipment. The principle of operation is to heat water by the Sun. Until recently, such installations were used mainly only in hot countries for hot water supply. Modern collectors produced in Russia are designed for use in northern regions. When the outside temperature is 10°C in clear weather, they heat the water to 80-90°C.
A relatively new technology that is being actively implemented in Germany. The plant was originally conceived to produce cheap hydrogen without harming the environment. Hydrogen itself is the most environmentally friendly fuel. Unlike hydrocarbons, the product of its combustion is ordinary water vapor (H 2 + 0.5 O 2 → H 2 O). During the development, an entire energy complex was obtained that could provide private households with electricity, hot water supply and heating. In good weather, electricity is generated by batteries, and excess energy is used to produce hydrogen. If there is a lack of generated electricity, the accumulated hydrogen is used. Leading manufacturers of such complex systems are HPS Home Power Solutions GmbH and CNX Construction.
The direct conversion of solar energy into electrical energy is constantly being improved and expanded. The rapid growth of SES implementation is confirmed by statistics. In 2005, the total capacity of solar projects was only 5 GW, and already in 2014 - 150 GW. Today there are many such power plants in the world, the largest of which are:
- Topaz, California - 1096 MW;
- Agua Caliente, Arizona - 626 MW;
- Mesquite, Arizona - 413 MW;
- Solar Ranch, California - 399 MW;
- Huanghe, Qinghai – 317 MW;
- Catalina, California - 204 MW;
- Xitieshan, Qinghai – 150 MW;
- Ningxia Qingyang, Ningxia – 150 MW;
- "Perovo", Crimea - 133 MW;
- "Silver", Nevada - 122 MW.
There are currently 23 solar power plants operating in Russia with a total capacity of 250.318 MW. In addition, the equipment used is constantly being modernized and capacity is being increased.
Currently, there are 31 solar power plants at the design and construction stage in the Russian Federation.
In addition to large-scale energy projects, solar panels are increasingly used in everyday life and in various types of devices. They are installed on the roofs of private houses, on street lighting poles, built into portable chargers, computer equipment and autonomous lighting devices for the local area.
Among the most unusual solutions are a bicycle path in the Netherlands and a kilometer-long section of a road in France, made with a coating of photocells, and in Korea they have developed an implant battery. It is 15 times thinner than a hair, designed for implantation under the skin and is capable of powering implanted devices.
Operating principle
The light-receiving panel consists of cells (modules) that are made of a two-layer semiconductor material with photoconductivity properties. The top layer of the “n” type semiconductor has a negative potential, and the bottom layer of the “p” type has a positive potential. When light rays hit the top layer, an external photoelectric effect occurs. In other words, the semiconductor “n” begins to give up electrons. At the same time, the lower “p” layer, on the contrary, is capable of capturing electrons. Thus, if you close a circuit by connecting a load to the layers, the electrons that leave the top layer will flow through the load to the bottom layer. Then, through the p-n junction, they again return to the upper layer.
Real achievements
Many materials are used to create modules; according to laboratory studies, the most effective were multilayer solar cells of the GaInP/GaAs/Ge type, which showed a photoelectric conversion coefficient of 32%. At the same time, in reality, much higher record figures were set.
In 2013, Sharp created a three-layer solar cell based on indium gallium arsenide, which showed an efficiency result of 44.4%. Their record was surpassed in the same year by scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. They used Fresnel lenses in the design of their photocell, which achieved an indicator of 44.7%. A year later, they outdid themselves and, thanks to special focusing, the lenses were able to achieve an efficiency of 46%.
Modern developments
One of the promising areas is the conversion of all radiation spectra into electricity. Developments in this direction are being carried out by many companies, institutes, research centers and the results are already there.
Nanoantenna theory
The idea of converting solar radiation into electric current using the principle of a rectifying antenna operating in the optical wavelength range of 0.4-1.6 microns appeared back in 1972 and belongs to R. Bailey. The potential efficiency of such antennas in theory will be 85%. The first attempt to create a solar converter using nanoantennas was made in 2002 by ITN Energy Systems, which was unsuccessful. Despite this, this technique is considered the most promising and research continues.
Today this material, as an alternative to silicon, is the most popular among manufacturers. Its cost is much cheaper, which ultimately has a positive effect on the price of the product. Moreover, it contains toxic lead, which they have been trying to replace for a long time. A group of Dutch scientists, working on this issue, accidentally made a discovery.
Lead was replaced with tin and during test studies a strange phenomenon was noticed. “Hot electrons,” that is, electrons with increased energy, gave it away in a few nanoseconds, instead of several hundred femtoseconds, which is much longer. In conventional panels, such electrons are converted into heat rather than electricity. In this case, due to the slowness of electrons, it becomes possible to convert them into electricity before they become heat.
For now, scientists are figuring out why hot electrons slow down their scattering and how they can be made to scatter even more slowly. According to Professor of Photophysics and Optoelectronics M. Loi, theoretical predictions for the efficiency of such a battery will be 66%.
Ideal radiation
To solve the problem of a light element absorbing the entire spectrum of solar radiation, a team of researchers from Haifa (Israel) proposed a non-standard solution. In experiments, they decided to convert sunlight into ideal radiation. To do this, they developed and used a unique photoluminescent material. A similar technology is used in LED lamps, where the diode glow is absorbed by the phosphor and converted into a glow that is optimal for human perception. In the case of an element, the material converts the entire spectrum of radiation into light, which is ideally absorbed by the panel. According to young scientists, the transformation of light will increase the conversion into electricity by up to 50%.
Multilayer panels for roof installation
Previously, scientists from the University of New South Wales proposed concentrating solar radiation using mirrors. This technique made it possible to significantly increase the efficiency of the elements. Today this technology is used in many solar power plants, but for batteries installed on the roofs of private houses, such a design is impossible. The developers of the German scientific center Agora Energiewende proposed increasing the conversion efficiency of unconcentrated light to 53%.
Their invention is based on a multilayer panel capable of absorbing 4 ranges of light. A special refractive layer reflects the infrared spectrum to the silicon part and transmits the rest of the light to the three-layer panel. The first layer is indium gallium phosphide, the second is indium gallium arsenide and the third is germanium. Each absorbs light in a certain range, and as a result, it is possible to “squeeze out” the maximum energy.
The design is ideal in theory, but in practice, rooftop applications have encountered maintenance issues. Currently being developed for the private sector, the battery is more suitable for power plants, but work to improve it continues.
Energy day and night
The developments of Chinese scientists have attracted particular attention from many scientific publications. This is not surprising, since China holds the lead in this area and is the largest supplier of solar panels, which are in demand around the world.
Chinese developers have proposed a panel that works not only during daylight hours, but also at night. The secret lies in a layer of phosphor with a long afterglow. During the day, the light not absorbed by the photocell is retained by the phosphor, which glows at night, releasing energy to the photocells. Although the nighttime efficiency is only 25%, such batteries can significantly improve the efficiency of solar energy.
Engineering solutions
With the growth of SES around the world, a new problem is emerging, especially relevant for European countries. To build such power plants, a large space is required. To some extent, this problem is solved by integrating photocells into the road surface and installing light receivers on roofs. But often it is necessary to modernize roofing structures, and in some cases the installation contradicts architectural features. The urgency of increasing the integration capabilities of solar panels has become critical, so leading engineers and architects are working on this today.
Roofing made of photocells
Hanergy presented an interesting design at the Solar Power International 2017 conference in Las Vegas. Hantiles roofing tiles are wave-shaped tiles with built-in photovoltaic cells. By combining roofing material and photocells, the aesthetic appearance of the building is preserved, and the roofing structure does not require additions. In addition, the cost is cheaper than purchasing the roof and panels separately.
Wall cladding with solar panels
The Swiss Center for Microtechnology and Electronics “CSEM” has proposed a new technology for the production of external wall cladding panels, which are also solar panels. The peculiarity lies in maintaining the qualities of the facing material. The panels look monotonous and have high heat and sound insulation properties. So far, only white options have been presented, but the developers say that any color is possible.
Soon, instead of energy-saving windows, it will be possible to install energy-generating windows. The innovative window from the developers of the Los Alamos National Laboratory is visually no different from simple windows. At the same time, they use a single-chamber glass unit with built-in manganese-based quantum dots on the outer glass and copper-indium selenide-based quantum dots on the inner glass. The glass acts as a luminescent concentrator and, absorbing light, redirects it to the edges of the frame, where it is converted into electricity by built-in photocells.
German engineers from the University of Jena went even further. They offered smart windows. The idea of smart windows is not new. Previously, other developers proposed glass that changed translucency and generated electricity through laminated photocells. This time a fundamentally new LaWin technology was used. Now the functions of windows have been added to the ability to work as lighting and heating.
Charge on the go
Japanese developers from the RIKEN Institute and the University of Tokyo have invented an ultra-thin flexible solar cell that is not afraid of water and tensile loads. By integrating such a battery into textiles, it is possible to create clothing with the ability to connect mobile devices or any other electronics.
