Nanowires Break Limit of Solar Cell Efficiency: The Future of Sustainable Energy (1 Viewer)

[bclemms]

Looks like we may not be that far away from far more efficient solar panels.

How much energy can we use from the sun's rays? Apparently, we can utilize far more than previously thought. A new study shows that the energy limit is far higher than first believed.

The new study, described in the journal Nature Photonics, studied how to develop and improve the quality of nanowire crystals. These nanowires possess a cylindrical structure and a diameter that's about 10,000 part of a human hair. They hold enormous potential for the development of solar cells and the future of quantum computers and other electronic products.

Nanowires Break Limit of Solar Cell Efficiency: The Future of Sustainable Energy : Nature & Environment : Science World Report

 

[Zack Lee]

I know they are years away from the nonwires, but I was wondering if they project to cost the same to produce.

 

[bclemms]

I know they are years away from the nonwires, but I was wondering if they project to cost the same to produce.

I was wondering the same. I'm sure the first company to put the new technology into a solar cell will be quite a bit more expensive but the nanowire cells come out and the price settles I wonder what the price will look like.

Then again, if it is 10 times more expensive but is 15 times more effective then the price per square foot will go up but the overall expense will decrease.

 

[jrdbrn]

It's too expensive now... can't wait for higher prices

 

[Goatman Saint]

It is expensive, but costs are coming down. One of the main things holding back solar is the efficiency is increasing dramatically as it becomes used more. This should be what is needed to get power companies actually excited to start embracing solar. The initial cost will come down with large scale adoption.

 

[bclemms]

It's too expensive now... can't wait for higher prices

You aren't getting it.

Let's say you need 10 solar panels to run your house and the solar panels are $1,000 each. That means you would have to pay $10,000 plus installation on each panel and you would also require a large area for the panels.

With the new technology, the panels may be $3,000 each but now you only need 1 panel to run your house. This means the entire cost will be significantly less, less space requirements and less installation costs.

 

[CRESS_137]

Bye bye, Entergy.

 

[Doug5984]

Would love for the prices to come down (or efficiency to go up) to a reasonable amount and have one installed on my house. As it stands now the cost / savings just isn't there.

 

[Bayouman007]

gonna have to wait for the first ptents to run out before we see price drops. They will gouge it and rightfully so.

 

[Tapxe]

NTU scientist develops a multi-purpose wonder material to tackle enviromental challenges

A new wonder material that can generate hydrogen, produce clean water and even create energy.
Science fiction? Hardly, and there's more - It can also desalinate water, be used as flexible water filtration membranes, help recover energy from desalination waste brine, be made into flexible solar cells and can also double the lifespan of lithium ion batteries. With its superior bacteria-killing capabilities, it can also be used to develop a new type of antibacterial bandage.
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, led by Associate Professor Darren Sun have succeeded in developing a single, revolutionary nanomaterial that can do all the above and at very low cost compared to existing technology.
This breakthrough which has taken Prof Sun five years to develop is dubbed the Multi-use Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). It is formed by turning titanium dioxide crystals into patented nanofibres, which can then be easily fabricated into patented flexible filter membranes which include a combination of carbon, copper, zinc or tin, depending on the specific end product needed.


Prof Sun's multi-use titanium dioxide can:

1. concurrently produce both hydrogen and clean water when exposed to sunlight
2. be made into a low-cost flexible filtration membrane that is anti-fouling
3. desalinate water as a high flux forward osmosis membrane
4. recover energy from waste desalination brine and wastewater
5. be made into a low-cost flexible solar cell to generate electricity
6. doubles battery life when used as anode in lithium ion battery
7. kill harmful microbial, leading to new antibacterial bandages

Not sure if this is the same discovery, but sounds very encouraging that it's being developed.

 

[Big_L]

I'm pretty sure the technology has been around, the power companies are just trying to figure out how to pimp it.

 

[Goatman Saint]

Nope. My brother works in the power industry. With the pressures that at least the California energy companies are under to use clean power and such they are not hiding anything.

 

[IntenseSaint]

As long as the smug emissions stay low I am all for it.