Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

System

http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=669

Don't know when this will lead to a lower cost PV cell , but it is progress.

Cheers

Windsun

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

Yes I noticed that. One of the few things I have seen in the past 20 years that might actually have some real in-the-field possibilities.

But it is still a long ways from actual production.

mike95490

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

10% more of 15% is not very much, and 60% gain in the UV (which was only a percent or two) is still not much gain. Too bad I did not see TOTAL efficiency, just the gains on top of existing, which may bring a cell up to 25% total. They like to print 60% but tht's not what they are getting.

Solar Guppy

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

As Mike posted, its looks like a puff job, probably looking to snag investors at sometime soon.

There is no data as to the long term mixing the "nano" layer to the Si layer, nothing on durability, nothing on if this Nano layer has a detrimental effect on the remaining cells properties, like reflection/absorption and of course just how long that 1 micron layer will last before it degrades in the harsh Sunlight or handles vibration and remains intact.

For the uninformed, there are literally hundreds of such "discoverys" every year ... if you dig deep enough, you will find it is all about the "scientist" and is ability to fund his work. Its a competive enviorment to get research dollars and these people are all looking for a hand-out, wether its the Federal/State Government or private equity placements. Putting 60% eight times in the "press release" is to get coverage, not about some breakthru that might add 1% better yeild on the Poly Cells.

If there was even a hint of any of these "break thru's" having merit, the Sanyo/Sharp/Kyocera/Evergreens of the word to be all over it as it would be a real dollar and cents advantage ..

Windsun

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

Solar Guppy wrote: »

There is no data as to the long term mixing the "nano" layer to the Si layer, nothing on durability, nothing on if this Nano layer has a detrimental effect on the remaining cells properties, like reflection/absorption and of course just how long that 1 micron layer will last before it degrades in the harsh Sunlight or handles vibration and remains intact.

I hate it when you confuse the issue with facts and stuff. :cool:

I just got a call a couple of hours ago wanting to know our price on the "new nano tech panels". The person refused to believe there was no such thing, because he read it on the internet...

12vman

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

Quote from story..

"The improved performance is a result of enhanced voltage rather than current, Nayfeh said."

And he doesn't state how much..

BB.

Re: Nanotechnology boosts solar cells performance

Yep, I too was waiting for the 60% of xx% of the UV portion of the spectrum and how much over-all improvement there would be.

Also, the article may be a bit confused too, because earlier it said:

The current-voltage characteristics indicate a photoconductor in series with a diode-like junction with a large enhancement in the forward current under UV illumination...

--So, to me, it would have made more sense in that UV was being down converted into blue (or red--depending on the particle size) and was then used by the "standard PV" cell to generate electricity (which I would have expected to result in higher current).

But, it is possible that the person writing this mixed up several statements/simplifications by the researcher into the one article....

Roland Piquepaille lives in Paris, France, and he spent most of his career in software, mainly for high performance computing and visualization companies...

-Bill