Black Silicon for Solar Panels Efficiency

Black Silicon for Solar Panels Efficiency? Of course you have noticed that, for example a black car is hotter than a white car or light colors. So do the clothes, when we are in the sun on the beach or try to use white or light colors, and a black T-shirt is hotter.

What happens is that the objects reflect light receiving more or less depending on the color.

The objects white or light colored reflect nearly all the light they receive, instead of black or dark colors that absorb it.

That is why it is expected that the black silicon solar panels will be more efficient solar panels that will absorb more light than other colors of silicon. So if more light that can be absorbed by black silicon it would increase the efficiency of conversion of light energy.

It's simple, solar panels currently have a silver or gray and black colors, it would look black. It is believed that this manner the solar panels will have an efficiency of 25%, unlike the current panels that not exceeding 18%.

That sounds positive, but there is a "but" black silicon is not new, it has been known for a long time, the disadvantage is that it is very expensive. We know that many companies around the world work in the development of black silicone to improve imperfections and reduce manufacturing costs.

The latest advance was made known by a group of researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratoy where involved in the process of chloroauric acid (derived from gold), which is more economical to use it instead of gold, reducing costs black production convenient, but it's not enough.

Origins of Solar Energy

Solar energy is simply the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This can be done directly, or through the use of photovoltaic (PV) or indirectly by the concentrated solar energy (CSP). Photovoltaic energy is created when sunlight strikes the protons of a solar panel that is produced electrical currents. Concentrated power (also known as thermal energy), on the other hand, extracted directly from the sun emits heat. This solar energy is also popularly known as "green energy" due to the fact that it is driven by nature and the environment. It is also the safest way of resources to date and truly renewable, but solar technology is still not very popular in some places.


Leonardo Da Vinci in the 15th century, one of the biggest brains in the design of industrial use of the sun. Da Vinci came to design a system to heat the water in the concave mirrors. In 1954 by Bell Labs, were discovered the photovoltaic properties of certain silicones. Were subsequently developed the first functional photovoltaic panels, for use in satellites. Later, the solar energy was first used in Australia. Since then, more than 60,000 installations have been successful.

Albert Einstein is famous famous scientist, who has experienced the photoelectric effect. He won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for their outstanding contributions to solar energy and photovoltaic. In the 1950s the first true solar panels were working. Furthermore, in 1954 Bell Labs found silicon photovoltaic properties determined. A remarkable fact of solar energy is that all communications and satellite television are also powered by solar energy with photovoltaic cells.

Solar energy is measured in kilowatt-hours. Briefly, 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts. Furthermore, it is estimated that about 1366 watts of direct solar radiation per square meter reaches the atmosphere, about 1000 watts per square meter per hour reaches the earth. This is a fascinating fact and a lot of energy, to be precise. Another example of the fact that the solar energy is, on average, would use a normal domestic 860 kilowatts per month.

This energy goes into effect when the light of solar energy systems, such as solar panels, is converted into heat. However, sunlight, can be reduced when there is a blockage of the wind and solar contamination.La clouds can be used for different purposes such as heating water, providing a household lighting, as well as feeding a number of drivers to cook . Solar energy is also free, but the installation cost is high.
To facilitate this would require the purchase of solar energy systems, which consist mainly of investors, solar panels, the structure of the battery, charge controller, wiring and support.

In recent years, the cost of energy were down, and in order to make them accessible to everyone. One of the most popular in recent years to reduce the high cost, have been guides DIY solar and wind power and success was huge, with many thousands in savings over 50% or more in energy costs, or to be completely off the network.

However, solar technology has come a long way. Instead, a world record was set in his favor around 1990 when a solar powered plane flew 4,060 kilometers across the U.S., without fuel. Likewise, solar energy systems such as racing engines have been in use since 1985. In fact, for the promotion of this initiative, World Solar Challenge race, held annually in Australia and the USA. In these races, it is reported that the engines of solar technology, a speed exceeding 90 kilometers per hour.

Apple invests in solar energy

Apple will use only solar power in the three servers that consume more energy. According to the company explained, these measures will be implemented by the end of the year. These are part of the sustainability strategy and environmental responsibility implemented in recent years.

The brand that sells products like iPod, iPhone or iPad revealed that SunPower will purchase equipment and startup Bloom Energy and build two new solar installations in North Carolina, near its largest data center.

Once built, the facility will produce 84M kWh of annual energy in a space of about 100 hectares, one of the largest of the industry.

Apple's CFO, Peter Oppenheimer, said the strategy is to stop using electricity generated by coal in its three main data centers by the end of 2012.

"I know of no other company that is producing energy at this scale," said Oppenheimer. Apple had already lifted the veil on this project, but the CFO of the company ensured that the solar parks will be double the size originally planned.

In recent weeks, several environmental activists protested the use of "dirty" energy from Apple, Amazon and Microsoft.

Solar cells made ​​from plastics

A process that is already used in organic solar cells and OLED sheets available on some mobile phones, which must be protected by glass against oxygen and moisture. Now a group of researchers from Georgia Tech, led by Bernard Kippelen, has achieved a new way to reduce the work of a conductor, and thus have achieved what would be the first plastic solar cell.

The team used an inexpensive material, ecological, and readily available: a polymer. After processing and spreading it on a thin layer (10 nm) on a driver, they saw that the interaction became stable in air. The reactive metal replacement polymer completely changes the requirements for producing electronic components, making it possible to lower costs. Therefore, the advantage of a solar cell is plastic that can be manufactured at a lower cost than conventional crystalline silicon.

According to Bernard Kippelen, this technology will eliminate certain restrictions so far imposed on electronics, but there is still a long way to go before it reaches commercial production.

How to Maximize Solar Panel

The efficiency of a solar panel depends on the material used to make the solar cells that are placed on the surrounding frame.

What is a solar cell?

A cell is part of a solar panel which collects solar radiation light overhead sun, and then converted into electrical energy.

The main materials found inside a cell that performs the actual creation of electricity are called semiconductors.

In general, the effectiveness of any given cell is measured by the total amount of radiation / sunlight falling on it.

Conventional silicon solar panels

In just over 90% of photovoltaic panels that are located at the top of the roofs of today, the semiconductor is called crystalline silicon. This is a very efficient cell. Silicon is one of the highest degrees of conversion efficiency. Convert 15-20 percent of the light reaches its cell.

Thin film solar panels

The new wave of the future is coming into the world of solar panels, and is called thin film. The cost to manufacture these panels is much lower than the crystalline silicon panels, but the problem with these is that even closer to the silicon solar panels, in terms of conversion efficiency.

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium, indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) solar panels are the two main leaders of the thin film solar technologies, with an average around 11 percent efficiency. This remains substantially surprising since most of the thin film solar cells lie in the range of 4 percent to 10.

The fill factor

When power is measured, the fill factor is defined as the ratio between the real power and the product maximum attainable open circuit. This is a very important parameter to consider when analyzing and evaluating the performance of solar cells. A typical commercial solar cell has a fill factor greater than 0.70.

Grade B cells have a filling factor typically between 0.4 and 0.7. Another important consideration is that the factor is undoubtedly one of the most important parameters for energy. The solar cell containing an element of high see much less loss of power when it is purchased. Briefly, the higher the filling factor of energy, the solar to be generated.

Cheaper solar power as an energy study

Although in most countries generate electricity from renewable sources is expensive, high energy costs on the island, supported by the dependence on oil-production allows alternative technologies like solar photovoltaics, cost the same or less than crude oil and other fossil fuels.

An analysis prepared by the electrical engineer Agustín Irizarry revealed even now a photovoltaic system installed on a Puerto Rican home generate electricity cheaper than selling the Electric Power Authority (ESA).

In reaching this conclusion, Irizarry, who is an expert in electric power systems, considered the most recent audited financial statements of ESA and quotes from installers of photovoltaic systems.

"In Puerto Rico, photovoltaic electricity is cheaper than the EEE sell us oil. Why people think it is more expensive? I can not understand, "he explained.

According to the financial statements at the end of fiscal year 2010-2011, the cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) of a residential customer was of 23.5 cents.

According to quotes, a photovoltaic system in a residence is $ 5 per installed watt. Therefore, a two-kilowatt photovoltaic system costs $ 10,000 and the solar panels are guaranteed for 20 years.

Considering that the PV system receives only four hours of sun during the next 20 years would produce 58.400 kilowatts (eight per day). If those 58.400 kilowatts are divided between the $ 10,000 initial investment, the cost per kWh would be 17 cents.

Irizarry said the cost per kWh of a photovoltaic industry would be lower (13.7 cents). The kWh cost of 28 cents round today.

Less "externalities"

But gave no numbers, the electrical engineer Efrain O'Neill also noted that large wind farms (wind) are already competitive with fossil fuel systems.

O'Neill noted that although in principle prove expensive renewable energy, environmental and social costs, known as "externalities" are much more expensive than fossil fuels.

"The United States accounted for external use of coal at $ 63 million annually ... And that study, commissioned by the 'National Research Council', only focused on health costs, so we have to estimate the environmental costs, "said the Puerto Rico clarify that no such analysis.

'Bitter' experience in Spain

In economic terms, the use of renewable energy in Spain has not had the expected results because the government chose to subsidize companies that installed technologies and the cost per kWh has not fallen as much as anticipated.

The subsidy-50% - amounting to $ 31.000 million. To pay that debt, the Spanish government plans to increase birth rate by 20%, said Fermin Peace, Secretary General of the International Association for Energy Law, based in Paris.

He explained that in Spain, unlike here, the price of electricity generated from fossil fuels is lower than that of renewable energy. This led the Spanish government to subsidize companies to alternative technologies. But apparently there was a "premium" on the promise to sell to these companies and so is on the table a possible rate increase.

"Renewable energy sources have their problems: some polluters, no continuity, are costly and face technical problems. So far, not replace conventional energy, "said Paz.

Solar Cells Consisting of Nanocrystals

Still working on improving solar technology, a group of scientists from the University of Southern California, created a new solar cells built by Nanocrystals looking liquid and could be used to print or paint any plastic surface or color.

The design of new cells is small enough to fit 250 million head of a pin. The manufacturing process is much cheaper than the current silicon solar cells, but the efficiency is much poorer, so we can see this technology in the market will be much improved.

That is why the technology will take many years to reach the market. Scientists are still working to the next step which is to replace this with another harmless compound.