Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro Stanford scientists have developed a solar panel with ultra-thin gold films, reducing shadow from conductive grids and improving efficiency by up to 22 percent
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Solar panels are currently among the most emblematic technologies of the clean energy revolution. Using the most prevalent source of renewable energy worldwide, solar power has become a dominant force in the industry in terms of market share. Their function is uncomplicated but crucial: they capture sunlight, convert it into electricity, and store it for utilization by homes, industries, and even space. Besides being installed in big solar farms and homes, solar panels also exist in outer space, energizing space stations such as the International Space Station (ISS).
Photovoltaic technology is the core of solar panel operation. It delivers sunlight to be converted to electricity. Solar power is still not without limitations despite much advancement made so far. The solar panels operate well under perfect weather, and the generated power must be stored in lithium-ion batteries. The batteries come at a price, however, and have environmental issues related to lithium extraction, which is an extremely resource-consuming process.
Other renewable power sources have advanced significantly in the sector. Wind energy, for example, accounts for about 25% of global renewable power and has low operating costs. Furthermore, due to better technology, the cost of producing wind turbines has plummeted significantly, rendering the source of this power more competitive.
Gold solar panels: a breakthrough for energy efficiency?
The majority of solar panels today utilize silver in the formation of the electric contacts and the conductive grid upon the face of photovoltaic cells. Silver is highly conductive and weather-resistant, ensuring a longer life-span to panels.
However, Stanford University researchers are studying the use of gold as a method of increasing the performance of solar panels. Gold possesses superior malleability along with superior electrical conductivity that can revolutionize photovoltaic panel design.
Today’s solar panels use a grid of conductive wires embedded within them, which, although serving the purpose of energy transfer, block some of the sun’s light, reducing the overall efficiency of the system by up to 5-10%. The solution to the problem developed by researchers is to utilize ultrathin layers of gold as a lid over the solar cell surface, reducing the wire shadow cast by as little as 3%.
From the research conducted, this innovation can contribute up to 20% to 22% boost in efficiency, a huge leap for solar energy.
The solar sector has in recent years experienced tremendous advancements, with more sophisticated uses. For example, there is the harnessing of solar power in outer space, where conditions present specific requirements.
Solar panels on the International Space Station must be light, durable, and flexible because they would be difficult to fix when damaged. Redwire Corporation developed a new generation of solar panels called Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) that are more efficient and robust enough to tackle the harsh conditions in space.
These developments are designed to show how innovation in the photovoltaic sector is ever-evolving, with the likely revolutionary consequences for clean energy production both on our planet and beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.
Source: Stanford University
