Tuesday, January 7, 2014

New Technology: Increased Solar Efficiency

By Hedrick Lepsch


Solar technology is constantly under revision as new techniques and materials are developed making this source of energy a viable option for governments, companies, and individuals. A newly developed heat-resistant material vastly improves the efficiency of solar panels by converting heat from the sun (high energy lights) into infrared light which can be absorbed by the solar cells and converted into electricity.

Each cell is made of five layers. The cell usually lies vertically but for simplicity sake we will imagine the cell lying flat. The bottom layer is made of a pure copper and the top layer is made of aluminum. Just below the aluminum plate is a very pure lithium metal oxide which has a positive charge and is called the cathode. The more pure the metal oxide the longer the battery lasts and the higher its performance.

Above the copper plate lies the anode which has a negative charge and is made of graphite (a layered carbon structure). Between the cathode and the anode is a liquid medium electrolyte which carries electrons between the cathode and the anode allowing the batteries charge to flow freely.

Many places offer large and substantial rebates and even different incentives to help your investment in solar energy. Imagine a day when you don't have to pay for your electricity. You can live off the grid, and be more safe for when you have financial difficulties.

The intermediary component absorbs light heating up and then converts the heat to infrared light which can be picked up by the solar cells. Theoretically this raises a solar cells efficiency from a high of 34 percent to 80 percent. Eight percent of sunlight touching a solar panel is converted to energy. With such an increase in efficiency the effectiveness of traditional solar cells like Helios 310 watt panels increases dramatically making them cost-effective at the same time. However the technology is not near that point yet. Currently the efficiency of the system is around 8 percent.

The ions travel from the anode through the electrolyte medium and separator back to the cathode. The amount of energy that can be stored in a battery and how long the battery will last depends heavily on the quality and purity of the materials used. Companies focus heavily on R&D to increase the purity as well as design of their lithium ion batteries to better the quality and output of their product.

The tungsten covered in ceramic was still capable of producing infrared light from the heat absorbed making the technology potentially viable. While this may not appear too exciting at first glance it represents a huge step forward in thermophotovoltaics.

However, the battery also has its drawbacks such as its sensitivity to high temperatures which can ruin a lithium-battery very quickly (although companies have been conducting research to better the temperature range the batteries can withstand). If lithium-batteries are ever completely discharged they cannot be recharged which means that an on-board computer must be used to manage the charge of the battery. This makes the batteries much more expensive than their base material cost.

Lastly, these batteries degrade quickly. The moment they leave the factory floor the degradation has already started, making the battery life only a few years. All of these reasons combined mean that if you installed Helios 260 watt panels on your home for solar energy lithium-ion is not the battery for you. However, if you are purchasing a new laptop, cellphone, tablet, etc. there is a high chance you will find a lithium-ion battery inside.




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