Printed Solar Panels

Steven Lake
Steven Lake Solar Expert Posts: 402 ✭✭
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/printed-solar-glass-panels-oxford-photovoltaics

Found this today while surfing and wow, this would be a neat idea if it proved practical. :)

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Printed Solar Panels

    This is another thing that has been announced repeatedly in the news feed section over the years. Doesn't seem to have hit the retail level yet. I wonder why? ;)
  • simon87
    simon87 Registered Users Posts: 6
    Re: Printed Solar Panels

    That's actually a really interesting idea. Makes sense and saves money. Hopefully we might see some buildings experimenting with it sooner or later.
  • Steven Lake
    Steven Lake Solar Expert Posts: 402 ✭✭
    Re: Printed Solar Panels

    Well, if it's a repeating theme it likely has some merit. The only question is if people can actually make it A) cost effective, and B) technologically viable. The latter is more what worries me, because the idea seems good, but may be hard to achieve in reality. Or if it is easy to achieve, can they also acomplish objective A?
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Printed Solar Panels

    Product doesn't hold water.

    Less conversion efficiency than thin film, which means as a cost impact on product, or how it would offset utility grid bills is a moot point.

    I would expect the life span of a product such as this is under 10 years.

    Point being its worthless as an investment.

    Its no different than solyndra, might as well paint your roof white to collect that extra sunshine :)