Dutch Scientists Developing Sixty Five % Efficient Nanowire Solar Cells

High efficiency solar cells tend to be for the time limited to space applications, because of their prohibitive prices. The Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands, with a EUR 1.2 million aid from the Dutch administration wants to produce ultra-effective solar cells that are in addition cheap. These people visualize their cells working with a 65 % efficiency, something even the satellites would be jealous of.

Presently, slim film solar cells have an effectiveness somewhere about forty %. Recent studies as well as prototypes created with concentrated solar panels disclosed a conversion of 41 percent, though the researchers coming from TU/ want a lot more. They will use mirror solutions which concentrate the particular light 1000 times and make use of very little substance for the actual solar cells, which would end up being very costly otherwise if employed at full level.

Jos Haverkort, one of the researchers, stated: "Any time the Netherlands desires to timely participate in a commercial exploitation of nanowire solar cells, there is a great desperation to jump in today." The research is conducted along with Philips MiPlaza.

Their concept concerning how to make their fantasy feasible relies on stacking a lot of subcells(junctions) in each and every cell, by which each subcell has to transform a specific spectrum of light optimally into electrical power. The best nanowire solar cell made to this day has an 8.4 percent performance. The Dutch research workers wish to encase the nanowires inside safety shells in order to obtain the exact same high performance just like slim-film cells. Haverkort believes that 5 to 10 junctions will be enough to improve the solar cell getting the desired sixty five percent efficiency.

Production expenses are additionally cut by their proposed technology, because the nanowires which make their solar cells can be grown on cheap silicon substrate as well as grow more quickly. Gallium together with Indium, the 2 expensive and rare materials that they will utilize for the tiny solar cells are going to be used very scarcely.

Not too long ago, the price tag on solar cells had been at approximately $3/watt. It is now almost $2/watt (sometimes less). Right after the particular researchers from Eindhoven will have finished their work and the market will have gladly approved their solar cells, the price might fall below 50 cents per watt, which seems incredible. We will wait and we will see.