Technology advances bolster solar energy

Solar energy is a relatively new technology and benefits from a motivated group of inventors who want to help reduce the planet's pollution. Global warming is changing everything, from the way we power our homes, to the methods we use for desalinating sea water. New materials and fresh thinking in solar technology are helping power the increases in solar efficiency. Creative ingenuity in solar technology is stimulating the increased use of solar panels all over the world. The energy-generating potential of solar panels is due to the materials they’re made of. But limitations exist also. Silicon panels are declining in price so much that in some places they can produce electricity that costs almost the same as power from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. However, silicon solar panels are also bulky and brittle, so they can’t be used in all locations. New technologies utilize thinner, more pliable materials that have great promise for solar applications.

Solar produces needed power for urban and rural locations

Many parts of the world do not enjoy the relatively constant nature of power generation that we experience in the United States.  In some of these areas, solar panels can give electric light after dark and energy to pump drinking water, help power small household devices or businesses. However, the fragility, weight, and transportation difficulties of silicon solar panels imply that silicon may not be the ideal material for constructing solar panels.

Inventors are working to produce flexible solar panels, which would be as efficient as a silicon panel, but would be thinner, lightweight, and supple. This kind of device, which we call a “solar tarp,” could be radiated out to the size of an entire room and generate electricity from the sun. Some creative individuals are trying to make organic solar cells more flexible by making them ultra-thin. However, genuine durability requires a molecular structure that makes the solar panels stretchable and tough.

Silicon is a material in superabundance on the earth

Silicon comes from sand, which makes it remarkably plentiful and inexpensive.  The way its atoms pack in a solid material makes it a good semiconductor. This means its conductivity can be turned on and off using electric fields or light. Because it’s inexpensive, silicon is the basis for the microchips and circuit boards in computers, mobile phones, and nearly all other electronics. The microchips carry electrical signals from one component to another. Silicon is also the key to solar panels because it transforms the energy from light into positive and negative charges. But its chemical properties also mean it can’t be turned into flexible electronics. Silicon doesn’t process light very efficiently. Photons pass right through a silicon panel that’s too thin, so they have to be reasonably thick — around 100 micrometers, about the thickness of a dollar bill — so that less of the light is wasted.

Other technological breakthroughs are right around the corner

Solar energy is providing the impetus for inventors to "think outside the box" to examine what materials and technologies will best accelerate solar energy's advantages. The planet is so polluted now, we need to find ways to power our world without the terrible pollution that has been going on for several decades. Climate scientists are realizing that the projections they made previously were much too optimistic because man is not taking global warming seriously. That needs to change very soon.

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.

HahaSmart Blog - More Solar Tips and Guide
HahaSmart News - Stay Informed
Your Solar Incentives - See Credits and Incentives in Your Area
Check Your Home's Solar Price - See How Much You Save
Register Now - Unlock The Lowest Solar Prices in Your Area