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UCLA engineers pioneer affordable alternative energy-solar energy cells made of everyday plastic
October 10, 2005With oil and gas prices in the United States hovering at an all-time high, interest in renewable energy alternatives is again heating up. Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science hope to meet the growing demand with a new and more affordable way to harness the sun's rays: using solar cell panels made out of everyday plastics.
In research published today in Nature Materials magazine, UCLA engineering professor Yang Yang, postdoctoral researcher Gang Li and graduate student Vishal Shrotriya showcase their work on an innovative new plastic (or polymer) solar cell they hope eventually can be produced at a mere 10 percent to 20 percent of the current cost of traditional cells, making the technology more widely available.
"Solar energy is a clean alternative energy source. It's clear, given the current energy crisis, that we need to embrace new sources of renewable energy that are good for our planet. I believe very strongly in using technology to provide affordable options that all consumers can put into practice," Yang said.
The price for quality traditional solar modules typically is around three to four times more expensive than fossil fuel. While prices have dropped since the early 1980s, the solar module itself still represents nearly half of the total installed cost of a traditional solar energy system.
Currently, nearly 90 percent of solar cells in the world are made from a refined, highly purified form of silicon - the same material used in manufacturing integrated circuits and computer chips. High demand from the computer industry has sharply reduced the availability of quality silicon, resulting in prohibitively high costs that rule out solar energy as an option for the average consumer.
Made of a single layer of plastic sandwiched between two conductive electrodes, UCLA's solar cell is easy to mass-produce and costs much less to make - roughly one-third of the cost of traditional silicon solar technology. The polymers used in its construction are commercially available in such large quantities that Yang hopes cost-conscious consumers worldwide will quickly adopt the technology.
Independent tests on the UCLA solar cell already have received high marks. The nation's only authoritative certification organization for solar technology, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located in Golden, Colo., has helped the UCLA team ensure the accuracy of their efficiency numbers. The efficiency of the cell is the percentage of energy the solar cell gathers from the total amount of energy, or sunshine, that actually hits it.
According to Yang, the 4.4 percent efficiency achieved by UCLA is the highest number yet published for plastic solar cells.
"As in any research, achieving precise efficiency benchmarks is a critical step," Yang said. "Particularly in this kind of research, where reported efficiency numbers can vary so widely, we're grateful to the NREL for assisting us in confirming the accuracy of our work."
Given the strides the team already has made with the technology, Yang calculates he will be able to double the efficiency percentage in a very short period of time. The target for polymer solar cell performance is ultimately about 15 percent to 20 percent efficiency, with a 15-20 year lifespan. Large-sized silicon modules with the same lifespan typically have a 14 percent to 18 percent efficiency rating.
The plastic solar cell is still a few years away from being available to consumers, but the UCLA team is working diligently to get it to market.
"We hope that ultimately solar energy can be extensively used in the commercial sector as well as the private sector. Imagine solar cells installed in cars to absorb solar energy to replace the traditional use of diesel and gas. People will vie to park their cars on the top level of parking garages so their cars can be charged under sunlight. Using the same principle, cell phones can also be charged by solar energy," Yang said. "There are such a wide variety of applications."
University of California-Los Angeles
The price for quality traditional solar modules typically is around three to four times more expensive than fossil fuel. While prices have dropped since the early 1980s, the solar module itself still represents nearly half of the total installed cost of a traditional solar energy system.
Currently, nearly 90 percent of solar cells in the world are made from a refined, highly purified form of silicon - the same material used in manufacturing integrated circuits and computer chips. High demand from the computer industry has sharply reduced the availability of quality silicon, resulting in prohibitively high costs that rule out solar energy as an option for the average consumer.
Made of a single layer of plastic sandwiched between two conductive electrodes, UCLA's solar cell is easy to mass-produce and costs much less to make - roughly one-third of the cost of traditional silicon solar technology. The polymers used in its construction are commercially available in such large quantities that Yang hopes cost-conscious consumers worldwide will quickly adopt the technology.
Independent tests on the UCLA solar cell already have received high marks. The nation's only authoritative certification organization for solar technology, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located in Golden, Colo., has helped the UCLA team ensure the accuracy of their efficiency numbers. The efficiency of the cell is the percentage of energy the solar cell gathers from the total amount of energy, or sunshine, that actually hits it.
According to Yang, the 4.4 percent efficiency achieved by UCLA is the highest number yet published for plastic solar cells.
"As in any research, achieving precise efficiency benchmarks is a critical step," Yang said. "Particularly in this kind of research, where reported efficiency numbers can vary so widely, we're grateful to the NREL for assisting us in confirming the accuracy of our work."
Given the strides the team already has made with the technology, Yang calculates he will be able to double the efficiency percentage in a very short period of time. The target for polymer solar cell performance is ultimately about 15 percent to 20 percent efficiency, with a 15-20 year lifespan. Large-sized silicon modules with the same lifespan typically have a 14 percent to 18 percent efficiency rating.
The plastic solar cell is still a few years away from being available to consumers, but the UCLA team is working diligently to get it to market.
"We hope that ultimately solar energy can be extensively used in the commercial sector as well as the private sector. Imagine solar cells installed in cars to absorb solar energy to replace the traditional use of diesel and gas. People will vie to park their cars on the top level of parking garages so their cars can be charged under sunlight. Using the same principle, cell phones can also be charged by solar energy," Yang said. "There are such a wide variety of applications."
University of California-Los Angeles
Solar Cell Current Events and Solar Cell News RSSNanometric butterfly wings created
A team of researchers from the State University of Pennsylvania (USA) and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) have developed a technique to replicate biological structures, such as butterfly wings, on a nano scale. The resulting biomaterial could be used to make optically active structures, such as optical diffusers for solar panels.
Looking deeply into polymer solar cells
Researchers from the Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Ulm have made the first high-resolution 3D images of the inside of a polymer solar cell.
Carbon nanotubes could make efficient solar cells
Using a carbon nanotube instead of traditional silicon, Cornell researchers have created the basic elements of a solar cell that hopefully will lead to much more efficient ways of converting light to electricity than now used in calculators and on rooftops.
Bringing solar power to the masses
On a 104-degree Friday in July when sunlight bathed The University of Arizona campus, doctoral student Dio Placencia sat before a noisy vacuum chamber in the Chemical Sciences Building trying to advance the renewable energy revolution.
Plastics that convert light to electricity could have a big impact
Researchers the world over are striving to develop organic solar cells that can be produced easily and inexpensively as thin films that could be widely used to generate electricity.
NIST scientists study how to stack the deck for organic solar power
A new class of economically viable solar power cells-cheap, flexible and easy to make-has come a step closer to reality as a result of recent work* at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where scientists have deepened their understanding of the complex organic films at the heart of the devices.
Nanopillars Promise Cheap, Efficient, Flexible Solar Cells
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley have demonstrated a way to fabricate efficient solar cells from low-cost and flexible materials.
Low-cost solution processing method developed for CIGS-based solar cells
Though the solar industry today predominately produces solar panels made from crystalline silicon, they remain relatively expensive to make.
Flexible Solar Strips Light Up Campus Bus Shelter
There won't be anymore waiting in the dark at this campus bus shelter. New flexible solar cell technology developed by a group of engineering researchers at McMaster University has been installed to power lighting for night-time transit users.
Lasers are making solar cells competitive
Solar electricity has a future: It is renewable and available in unlimited quantities, and it does not produce any gases detrimental to the climate.
More Solar Cell Current Events and Solar Cell News Articles
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The Physics of Solar Cells (Properties of Semiconductor Materials) by Jenny Nelson (Author) This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the physics of the photovoltaic cell. It is suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers new to the field. It covers: basic physics of semiconductors in photovoltaic devices; physical models of solar cell operation; characteristics and design of common types of solar cell; and approaches to increasing solar cell efficiency. The text explains the terms and concepts of solar cell device physics and shows the reader how to formulate and solve relevant physical problems. Exercises and worked solutions are included. Contents: Photons In, Electrons Out: Basic Principles of PV; Electrons and Holes in Semiconductors; Generation and Recombination; Junctions; Analysis of the p n Junction; Monocrystalline Solar Cells; Thin... |
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SOLAR CELL, 60MM X 60MM X2MM by Solar Output: approximately 3 Volts @ 40 mA. 60mm square x 2.5mm thick epoxy-encapsulated silicon photovoltaic cell. Solid, almost-unbreakable module with solderable foil strips on backside. Ideal for solar-powered battery chargers and other projects. |
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Xantrex Technologies 852-2071 Xpower AC/DC Powerpack Solar With 400 Watt Inverter, Two AC Outlets, USB Port, And Digital Display by Xantrex Technologies The XPower Powerpack Solar is the first portable power pack that incorporates solar power in a compact, portable power source. It's completely self-renewing, which means the detachable 5-watt solar panel has the ability to recharge the power pack's 10 amp-hour battery.The 5-watt solar panel captures stores and converts the sun's renewable energy, replenishes the XPower Powerpack Solar's battery, and extends the runtime of many devices by up to 25 percent. |
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Physics of Solar Cells: From Basic Principles to Advanced Concepts (Physics Textbook) by Peter Würfel (Author) Based on the highly regarded and extremely successful first edition, this thoroughly revised, updated and expanded edition contains the latest knowledge on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion. The textbook describes in detail all aspects of solar cell function, the physics behind every single step, as well as all the issues to be considered when improving solar cells and their efficiency. Requiring no more than standard physics knowledge, the book enables both students and researchers to understand the factors driving conversion efficiency and to apply this knowledge to their own solar cell development. New exercises after each chapter help students to consolidate their freshly acquired knowledge, while the book also serves as a reference for researchers... |
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4 Watt 250 MA 12V Mono-crystalline zipper bag Solar Battery Charger Kit with Siemens Solar Cells by Xtreme Power This solar charger has one 12V cigarette lighter outlet for you to attach any car adapter to recharge your cell phones, I-Pod, MP3 Players, and other electronics devices. It even can recharge a 12V car battery. It recharges the 10 rechargeable AA NIMH or NICD batteries in about 4 hours (batteries not included). The energy stored in the batteries can be used to continue charging your cell phone even in the dark. There are three types of Solar Cells on the market. All our Solar chargers are using the best - Mono-Crystalline Solar Cells. Amorphous or Dual Junction Solar Glass are the cheapest but are only 7% energy efficient and have 5 years of service life. They are big and heavy. Poly-Crystalline have 25 plus years of service life under direct sunlight and are 13%... |
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Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells by Richard J. Komp (Author) Practical Photovoltaics, the now-classic reference on solar electricity, offers a unique combination of technical discussion and practical advice. Physicist, lecturer, and solar-home dweller Richard Komp explains the "how" and the "how-to" of PV, while providing valuable information on the industry, new developments, and the future. The book is a comprehensive guide to the theory and reality of solar electricity, as well as a detailed installation and maintenance manual. A well-illustrated appendix offers step-by-step instructions for constructing your own solar module, a creative approach to demystifying the technology. Presented in a clear, concise, and understandable style, Dr. Komp's contribution to PV literature has been called the "best single reference available," "the easiest and... |
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Solar battery / charger (i101) - 1250mAh rechargeable polymer solar battery (charger) for cell-phone, mp3 player, media player. With 6 USB adapters by iceTECH Solar The Solar charger i101 series from iceTECH USA, is capable of charging 99% of all mobile phones or USB interface digital products (MP3/MP4 players, etc..) which have operational voltage of 3.5-5 Volts. The Solar battery itself can be charged two ways, either by using direct sunlight (8-10hrs) or by plugging it directly into an electrical outlet (3-4hrs). Once the Solar Battery is charged you may use it to charge other devices such as your cell phone or any MP3/MP4 device. It will charge them at the same time frame as your conventional charger. You can also charge your device "on the go" by plugging it into the battery and leaving the battery under direct sunlight. One hour of charging from direct sunlight provides about 1hour of mp3 playback. When charging a cell phone directly from the... |
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Lenmar PPUS20 PowerPort Solar Charger & External Portable Lithium Ion Battery for Cell Phone/iPhone 3G/MP3/USB Charging Cable/Device Tip Adapters by Lenmar Battery Solutions The PowerPort Solar Charger and Battery has been designed to harness the sun's energy, shortening the process of transforming it into electricity by using photovoltaic cells (PVs). PVs convert sunlight into electricity that can be used immediately. The process is clean, fast, noiseless, and - thanks to Lenmar - easily portable. Here's how it works. Light from the sun hits the solar cells. exciting electrons within the cell. Some of them break free, and channeled through a conductive metal strip to create an electric current. This current can either be stored in a battery or used directly in the form of electricity. The stronger the sunlight and the more rays that hit the cell, the more electricity is generated. Lenmar's PowerPort Solar is a portable Lithium-ion battery that can be... |
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5" Monocrystalline Solar Cell by dmsolar DMS-125SL-250: 100 Cells, up to 250W * High efficiency and stable performance in photovoltaic conversion. * Advanced diffusion technique ensuring the homogeneity of energy conversion efficiency of the cell. * Advanced PECVD film forming, providing a dark blue silicon nitride anti-reflection film of homogenous color and attractive appearance. * High quality metal paste for back surface and electrode, ensuring good conductivity, high pulling strength and ease of soldering. * High precision patterning using screen printing, ensuring accurate busbar location for ease with automatic soldering a laser cutting. |
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