15th August 2023
Written by Mitchell LakinNow to 2050 – Innovations in Solar Energy
Solar energy is becoming increasingly viable, affordable and accessible around the world. Last year, the global capacity of solar power reached its record of 1.2 terawatts (TW). However, with the ambitious target of net-zero by 2050, solar PV experts predict we need at least 75TW of capacity worldwide. Currently, solar panels are produced using silicon-based cells. For our current demand, this rigid and costly material is manageable. However, today’s silicon cells are reaching their maximum conversion of sunlight, meaning the amount of electricity they can generate will cap at no more than 30%. Because of this, the race is now on for researchers to find alternative ways to gain power from the Sun. This article discusses some of the latest innovations towards this aim and how Car Charged UK provides solar solutions to get you involved with the push towards net-zero.
Perovskite – The Next Leap in Solar Technology
As well as the issues we have mentioned, one of the biggest concerns regarding silicon is, to cover our 2050 solar needs, we may run out of it entirely. The solution to this could be the newly invented material, perovskite, which gained its name from Lev Perovski, a 17th Century Russian mineral expert. This crystal structure is a hybrid of organic and inorganic materials, first appearing in labs in 2012. Now, over 10 years later, there have been a number of improvements to bring this material into the next generation of solar energy.
After many years of experimentation, these perovskite-silicon tandem cells have pushed past the previous limit of 30% conversion. In short, more sunlight caught by the cells is being converted into electricity rather than being lost as heat. For instance, Germany has now published that they have reached 32% efficiency with these new cells. Not only this but the latest perovskite cells do away with the flat, rigid panels we know, turning them into rollable sheets that suit a huge variety of surfaces. According to The Guardian, perovskite-silicon cells could be commercially available by 2027, during which scientists can spend more time making improvements.
Testing Phases – The Newest Innovations
A field of within the solar energy sector that is gaining increased discussion is nano-technology. The name comes from the size of the materials, with one nanometre being equal to one billionth of a metre. Nano-technology covers anything between 1-100 nanometres. In terms of solar cells, there have recently been three materials developed to improve their efficiency.
- Quantum dots – these act as tiny conductors that absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity, boosting the efficiency.
- Nanowires – these can be added to solar cells alongside other materials like perovskite, opening the door for hybrid solar cells which combine the bonuses of each material.
- Plasmonic nanoparticles – these act a bit differently from the above two materials. Instead of absorbing more of the Sun’s radiation, they can create an electric field which boosts the amount of energy absorbed by other components.
Everything we have mentioned are innovations that work behind the scenes to make more effective solar panels. However, “PV Slate”, a budding revolution by GB-Sol combines the benefits of solar panels while retaining the aesthetics and practicalities of a regular slate roof. As a spin-out from Cardiff University, GB-Sol have been in operation since 1999 and have won several awards for staying ahead of trends with their innovative solar products. If the Sun is looking to be a major source of domestic power by 2050, this is a huge improvement in the form and function of future panels.
Looking to Get Involved?
Solar cell energy is not only a carbon-free method of powering your home or business but, after an average of 3 years, offers major savings as it helps you draw less power from the National Grid. Car Charged UK goes one step further than a traditional solar panel installer. We provide a complete assessment package to help you get the most from your Solar PV before and after installation. This includes a breakdown of the costs and efficiencies to calculate the money savings your site will collect and how long they take to come into effect. We work with you each year after the installation to provide commercial maintenance. This includes data logging to monitor the effectiveness of the solar panels and provide performance statistics on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
To use solar-generated power even at night, we also offer a battery storage solution to draw from generated or off-peak power for use in times of high demand. If you are curious as to how this works, stay tuned to our news page for our next upcoming article.
To keep updated on our latest news regarding installations, EV developments and more articles like this, follow us on:
Facebook: Car Charged UK
Instagram: Car_Chargeduk
Twitter: CarChargedUK
Linkedin: car-charged-uk
Now to 2050 – Innovations in Solar Energy
Solar energy is becoming increasingly viable, affordable and accessible around the world. Last year, the global capacity of solar power reached its record of 1.2 terawatts (TW). However, with the ambitious target of net-zero by 2050, solar PV experts predict we need at least 75TW of capacity worldwide. Currently, solar panels are produced using silicon-based cells. For our current demand, this rigid and costly material is manageable. However, today’s silicon cells are reaching their maximum conversion of sunlight, meaning the amount of electricity they can generate will cap at no more than 30%. Because of this, the race is now on for researchers to find alternative ways to gain power from the Sun. This article discusses some of the latest innovations towards this aim and how Car Charged UK provides solar solutions to get you involved with the push towards net-zero.
Perovskite – The Next Leap in Solar Technology
As well as the issues we have mentioned, one of the biggest concerns regarding silicon is, to cover our 2050 solar needs, we may run out of it entirely. The solution to this could be the newly invented material, perovskite, which gained its name from Lev Perovski, a 17th Century Russian mineral expert. This crystal structure is a hybrid of organic and inorganic materials, first appearing in labs in 2012. Now, over 10 years later, there have been a number of improvements to bring this material into the next generation of solar energy.
After many years of experimentation, these perovskite-silicon tandem cells have pushed past the previous limit of 30% conversion. In short, more sunlight caught by the cells is being converted into electricity rather than being lost as heat. For instance, Germany has now published that they have reached 32% efficiency with these new cells. Not only this but the latest perovskite cells do away with the flat, rigid panels we know, turning them into rollable sheets that suit a huge variety of surfaces. According to The Guardian, perovskite-silicon cells could be commercially available by 2027, during which scientists can spend more time making improvements.
Testing Phases – The Newest Innovations
A field of within the solar energy sector that is gaining increased discussion is nano-technology. The name comes from the size of the materials, with one nanometre being equal to one billionth of a metre. Nano-technology covers anything between 1-100 nanometres. In terms of solar cells, there have recently been three materials developed to improve their efficiency.
- Quantum dots – these act as tiny conductors that absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity, boosting the efficiency.
- Nanowires – these can be added to solar cells alongside other materials like perovskite, opening the door for hybrid solar cells which combine the bonuses of each material.
- Plasmonic nanoparticles – these act a bit differently from the above two materials. Instead of absorbing more of the Sun’s radiation, they can create an electric field which boosts the amount of energy absorbed by other components.
Everything we have mentioned are innovations that work behind the scenes to make more effective solar panels. However, “PV Slate”, a budding revolution by GB-Sol combines the benefits of solar panels while retaining the aesthetics and practicalities of a regular slate roof. As a spin-out from Cardiff University, GB-Sol have been in operation since 1999 and have won several awards for staying ahead of trends with their innovative solar products. If the Sun is looking to be a major source of domestic power by 2050, this is a huge improvement in the form and function of future panels.
Looking to Get Involved?
Solar cell energy is not only a carbon-free method of powering your home or business but, after an average of 3 years, offers major savings as it helps you draw less power from the National Grid. Car Charged UK goes one step further than a traditional solar panel installer. We provide a complete assessment package to help you get the most from your Solar PV before and after installation. This includes a breakdown of the costs and efficiencies to calculate the money savings your site will collect and how long they take to come into effect. We work with you each year after the installation to provide commercial maintenance. This includes data logging to monitor the effectiveness of the solar panels and provide performance statistics on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
To use solar-generated power even at night, we also offer a battery storage solution to draw from generated or off-peak power for use in times of high demand. If you are curious as to how this works, stay tuned to our news page for our next upcoming article.
To keep updated on our latest news regarding installations, EV developments and more articles like this, follow us on:
Facebook: Car Charged UK
Instagram: Car_Chargeduk
Twitter: CarChargedUK
Linkedin: car-charged-uk