When it comes to sources of sustainable energy, solar is usually at the forefront of the conversation.

In the grand scheme of the universe, our Sun is just an average star. However, that little yellow dwarf produces more energy in 14 seconds than all of humanity uses in an entire day.

It’s obvious why we’re trying to harness that energy. 

Unfortunately, traditional solar panels still struggle with some problematic characteristics that are preventing solar energy from taking off in a major way.

Let’s dig a little deeper into what these panels are all about:

What’s the Holdup?

Regardless of which type of panel seems the most appealing, when it comes to actually installing a solar-powered system, there have been some drawbacks for individual households.

For the most part, solar panels have been an expensive investment, at least up front. Right now, the initial cost of a solar energy system is upwards of $1,000 per panel. Those initial costs can be significantly higher for homes that require extra panels.

There are subsidy programs and tax initiatives, but it still takes an average of 10 to 15 years to really break even on a solar investment.

Even the most efficient panels need the sun to be in the sky to absorb and produce power. I’ll point out the obvious here: solar energy can only be produced during the daytime. If you live in a cloudy or foggy region, expect less efficient power production.

If your area experiences high levels of air pollution, even daytime production can be inhibited. That pollution will also impact the effectiveness of the photovoltaic cells over time.

Up until Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) revealed its Powerwall, solar energy needed to be stored in large, heavy, expensive batteries. These batteries were pretty inefficient and needed replacing fairly often.

The Powerwall is solving problems with energy storage, but it doesn’t alleviate issues with the panels themselves.

In an effort to spur further advancements in solar power generation, the Department of Energy is releasing a $120 million Photovoltaics Research and Development funding opportunity.

The program, supporting several projects, is intent on advancing the effectiveness of solar energy as well as improving upon existing setbacks in the field.

If we’re going to break down the issues with solar power systems into a few large categories, those would be:

• Cost
• Efficiency
• Durability

Fortunately, the next generation of solar panels promises to improve on all of these.

From Ancient Paper-Cutting to Modern Solar Efficiency

As the state of flat panels stands right now, only about 40% to 60% of sunlight is properly harnessed and turned into energy. As the sun moves across the sky, only a portion of its rays fully reach the photovoltaic cells embedded in solar panels.

Scientists explain: “If you look head-on at a piece of paper, then start to tilt it, it’ll appear — to your eyes — thinner and thinner until you’re just looking at the edge of the paper. That’s what happens from the sun’s perspective.”

That means that in some cases, around half of the sunlight ends up being wasted.

“The amount of power you get out of a given solar cell is directly related to the area that the sun sees of that solar cell. The larger the affected area is, larger the amount of power you’re going to get,” says Aaron Lamoreux, a PhD student at the University of Michigan.

In response, solar panel creators developed a system in which the flat panel will follow the course of the sun through the sky — called tracking.

Tracking has been done before, even on residential rooftops.

However, these panels are extremely heavy and come with installation and maintenance costs that are still not conducive to the average homeowner’s budget.

Even as overall solar costs continue to decline each year, costs for traditional tracking panels keep increasing.

In their attempt to solve this problem, researchers at the University of Michigan found inspiration in an ancient Japanese art of paper-cutting: kirigami.

Cuts in a flexible surface allow a flat solar panel to separate into several smaller cells that can move with the sun across the sky. This technique allows for up to 40% improvement in the amount of energy captured and produced by the cells.

The image above (from UM’s project) is only the size of a quarter. The group still needs to enlarge the system, and determine how these cells will respond during different seasons and under different weather conditions. They also plan to develop a motor that is lightweight and efficient enough to put the panels in motion.

These are subjects that need to be addressed, but they are definitely not roadblocks. Researchers expect this technique to be on the market in the next few years.

Call Ghostbusters.

Yes, that’s right.

One researcher at the University of Toronto tells the public, “My dream is that one day you’ll have two technicians with Ghostbusters backpacks come to your house and spray your roof.”

Dr. Illan Kramer has just made significant improvements to SprayLD, his spray-on technique that can essentially turn any surface into a solar cell.

Kramer’s technique deposits a fine mist of colloidal quantum dots onto any (even flexible) surface.

That means that in the future, we could potentially turn any surface into a solar power generator, without making concessions for space or worrying about the durability of materials.

SprayLD is cost-effective and doesn’t compromise on energy efficiency.

It’s still in the experimental stages, but SprayLD has the potential to be a complete game changer in the world of solar energy.

Why “Perovskite” is the New Solar Buzzword

Unless you’re new to our publication, you probably know how we feel about graphene.

The material is the strongest, thinnest, most flexible, most conductive, most versatile to ever be discovered. The list of its potential uses is endless.

But one problem has stood in graphene’s way: manufacturability.

However, scientists at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have just combined graphene with perovskite. In doing so, they have just reached a significant milestone in the advancement of solar energy production.

Like graphene, perovskite has also had a tumultuous ride. Despite its ability to efficiently harvest light, perovskite lacks durability. Its organic molecular composition means that the material degrades quickly when exposed to the elements.

Basically, perovskite cannot brave the environment on its own.

Fortunately, it appears that combining the two is about to lead to significant improvements in the solar energy industry.

Perovskite absorbs the light, and graphene collects the charge.

The hybrid cells have already achieved record levels of efficiency.

The graphene-perovskite pairing is semi-transparent, meaning it can absorb sunlight from two sides. We’ll likely see the material used in windows — a dual functionality of allowing light into a building and producing electricity.

Most importantly, though, scientists estimate that this new development will cost 50 times less than traditional silicon solar cells while still operating at increased efficiency levels.

Once this technique is commercialized, researchers expect the perovskite-graphene hybrid to be at the center of large-scale energy supply.

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