With people getting more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious, they are now looking towards opting various methods and ways that can benefit the environment. Solar power is also one of the methods that can effectively cut down the carbon footprints. But, because of the fixed look and design of solar panels, they get hesitant of decking their roof with solar slabs as it may have an adverse effect on the look of their home.
The solution to this problem has been almost found as California based company ‘Solar3D’ has declared to carry out a study to explore the possibility that can amalgamate solar cells directly into roof tiles.
The technology
Solar3D believes that 3D solar cell technology has the potential to absorb maximum sunlight that can be easily turned into electricity to fulfill the energy needs of your house. Basically, 3D solar cells can get the most out of sunlight, which gets trapped directly within the 3D cells. On the other hand, conventional solar cells reflect much of the sunlight before they can really absorb it.
Solar3D’s solar cells feature photovoltaic structures engraved inside the silicon wafer that has an efficiency of trapping maximum sunlight. Moreover, Solar3D claims that commercial solar cells have 15 to 19 percent of efficiency range, whilst 3D solar cells have a range of 24.47 percent.
3D solar cells vs. commercial solar cells
According to the company, 3D solar cells are decked with a surface that can capture extra amount of sunlight at wider angles, in mornings and evenings and in winters. On the other hand, commercial solar cells lacks this feature and is unable to absorb sunlight once the rays falls outside a narrow range of incident angles.
Moreover, 3D solar cells can very well maintain its 25 percent efficiency even if the rays fall outside a range of angles and can generate 200 percent extra power output than that of conventional solar cells.
What the company has to say?
The company will work together with the solar roofing company, Redwood Renewables, to conduct a research based study to know more about the silicon based technology and what they can do in Building Integrated Photovoltaic applications.
Jim Nelson, CEO of Solar3D says,
With Solar3D cells, utility solar farms can be smaller in size and easier to operate without the need for mechanical systems to track the sun. Space limited applications, such as rooftops, can finally generate enough useful power to successfully compete against other sources of electricity.
Via- Gizmag
