Jeremy Munday, a professor in the electrical and computer engineering department at the University of California, Davis, is developing prototypes for solar cells that can generate small amounts of solar energy at night.
These unique solar cells could generate up to 50 watts of solar electricity per square meter under ideal conditions during the night hours, which is about a quarter of what a conventional solar cell can generate during the day.
The traditional solar cell is going to be a lot colder than the sun, therefore it will absorb the light. Because the space is cold, these new solar cells are going to radiate heat, while pointing at the sky.
Jeremy Munday said; “A regular solar cell generates power by absorbing sunlight, which causes a voltage to appear across the device and for current to flow. In these new devices, light is instead emitted and the current and voltage go in the opposite direction, but you still generate power.”
These new solar cells have the potential to operate all hours of the day, by either blocking the direct sunlight installing the cells pointed away from the sun.
Do you think these solar cells will be the future of the solar industry? Comment and let us know.
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