Glitter SIzed PV Cells Could Revolutionize Solar Power
EcoFriend
Researchers at the Sandia National Laboratoryhave developed glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that are about tentimes thinner than conventional solar cells and promise torevolutionize solar power. The research team has identified over 20benefits of these solar cells that includes better performance, lowcost and more efficiency.
Thesecells can easily be integrated in clothing to help military personnelor hikers generate solar energy for their electronic gear when on themove or resting. The cells are just 14-20 micrometers thick or aboutten times thinner than a conventional 6 X 6 inch solar module. Photovoltaicmodules equipped with these cells can be produced by a commercialmachine called a pick-and-place machine that can place up to 130,000pieces of glitter cells per hour on electrical contact pointspre-established on the substrate, which could reduce the cost of amodule. The team believes that cells can also be equipped with low-costsolar concentrators to even better their efficiency.
Via: Gizmag
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