Photovoltaics, or the science of turning light into renewable energy, has become an important green energy industry because it is helping to create a more sustainable way of living. In the technological world, the solar industry is one field where it literally seems like new developments are being made everyday. Scientist and researchers are constantly creating newer, more efficient, and more effective ways to harness the power of the sun.
You may constantly hear about new green energy solar inventions and developments, but one of the latest and most interesting new devices is actually a simple sticker. Well, maybe not so simple. This “power sticker” is imprinted with nifty, cutting edge micro-structures that enhance the efficiency of solar panels. One of the best things about this sticker is that, if it goes to market, it can be placed on already installed solar panels to help boost their power output.
The sticker is a thin polymer film that can be placed on solar panels, and that has been shown to increase the performance of solar systems by about 10 percent. The sticker works in a few ways to enhance photovoltaic performance.
First of all, the “power sticker” changes the direction of light–bending and redirecting it to get the light to travel along the surface of special semiconducting materials. With the sticker, chances are higher that more light will be absorbed because it will travel along with the semiconducting material–rather than pass directly through it as it often does.
Secondly, the sticker effectively keeps light from bouncing off of the surface of solar systems. This sounds simple but is important in enhancing the performance of solar panels. Lastly, the sticker helps trap light inside of the semiconducting material. This also allows the semiconducting material to absorb more light, which it then converts into power.
This could be an important product in the green energy world because (1) it can increase the efficiency of solar panels, and (2) because it can be used with already installed solar systems. This is a great benefit to individuals who already own solar panels, as well as to individuals who will buy photovoltaic systems in the future.
