New Solar Cells Can Be Rolled Up Like a Carpet
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University have developed a new type of silicon solar cell that is flexible enough to be used on a curved surface or fabric. Currently, most solar cells are rigid due to the use of plastic in their production.
The flexible solar cells are produced by slicing rigid silicon wafers into tiny bits and placing them on a flexible surface. The sliced chips are 10 to 100 times thinner than a normal silicon wafer.
Unlike thin-film solar cells already produced by Sharp and Q-Cells, the new technology uses highly efficient single crystal silicon.
The technology’s inventors envision a variety of uses for flexible solar cells. The cells could be used as a solar skin on top of buildings or aircraft, as large rollable sheets, or even as a tinting film on sunroofs.
There’s just one problem— scientists haven’t yet figured out if the increased production costs of the cells are outweighed by the use of less material.
Either way, the advent of the new solar cells shows that a little creativity can greatly enhance existing technology.
Photo credit: Energy Efficiency News
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November 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
Thanks for an interesting and insightful post.
One correction: “Currently, most solar cells are rigid due to the use of plastic in their production.”
Use of plastic is not the reason. Silicon itself, in the thicknesses used, is rigid and brittle. That’s the cell. Then the cell is mounted in a panel, which has rigid plastic and often glass and a metal frame–that’s to protect the brittle cell.