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Where Is Solar Power Headed?
Views: 404
Jul 26 2015 09:30 AM | eds in Solar Power
The sun's energy is unlimited, free and clean,
. . . the amount that hits Earth in one hour,
. . . is equal to the amount of energy used in one year by the entire planet.
Yet, although installed global photovoltaic capacity increased almost 9-fold, and
. . . the price of solar panels dropped by 2/3 between 2008 and 2013,
. . . only 1% of U.S. and global electricity generation come from solar energy,
. . . according to a new MIT report.
Current Solar Panels are Expensive and peak at 30% efficiency,
Improving Efficiency while keeping Costs low,
. . . are major goals of 3d generation photovoltaic research, include:
. . . Thin-film solar photovoltaic employing:
. . . . . . 12.3% efficient dye-sensitized,
. . . . . . 11.1% efficient organic,
. . . . . . 9.2% efficient quantum dot, or
. . . . . . 31% efficient perovskite solar cells,
. . . . . . 12% efficient Copper zinc tin sulfide solar cells,
. . . . . . 46% efficient concentrators.
With the exception of concentrators, 3rd generation photovoltaic technology,
. . . is still in the lab stage, 10 to 20 years away from commercialization.
Photovoltaic system integration and storage optimization,
. . . are key research topics:
. . . . . . higher power conversion efficiency,
. . . . . . use of more commonly found, and abundant materials, and
. . . . . . reduced manufacturing complexity and cost.
07-26-2015 Source: Where is solar power headed?
. . . the amount that hits Earth in one hour,
. . . is equal to the amount of energy used in one year by the entire planet.
Yet, although installed global photovoltaic capacity increased almost 9-fold, and
. . . the price of solar panels dropped by 2/3 between 2008 and 2013,
. . . only 1% of U.S. and global electricity generation come from solar energy,
. . . according to a new MIT report.
Current Solar Panels are Expensive and peak at 30% efficiency,
Improving Efficiency while keeping Costs low,
. . . are major goals of 3d generation photovoltaic research, include:
. . . Thin-film solar photovoltaic employing:
. . . . . . 12.3% efficient dye-sensitized,
. . . . . . 11.1% efficient organic,
. . . . . . 9.2% efficient quantum dot, or
. . . . . . 31% efficient perovskite solar cells,
. . . . . . 12% efficient Copper zinc tin sulfide solar cells,
. . . . . . 46% efficient concentrators.
With the exception of concentrators, 3rd generation photovoltaic technology,
. . . is still in the lab stage, 10 to 20 years away from commercialization.
Photovoltaic system integration and storage optimization,
. . . are key research topics:
. . . . . . higher power conversion efficiency,
. . . . . . use of more commonly found, and abundant materials, and
. . . . . . reduced manufacturing complexity and cost.
07-26-2015 Source: Where is solar power headed?
