Now scientists have invented a plastic solar cell by using new energy technologies that can turn solar power into electrical energy, even on a cloudy day when their is no sunlight.

Using the same technology as the world’s smallest solar cells developed by Dr. Xiaomei Jiang is a University of South Florida, they made 12x12inch (30.5×30.5cm), solar window prototype that was used at room temperature open to spray a light-sensitive film, which is able to produce energy, and natural and artificial light. window solar photovoltaic cells employing organic polymers, a diameter of less than 1 / 4 size of a grain of rice. Organic polymer spray coating is 0.1 microns thickness.

Plastics material used in nanotechnology and contains the first solar cells able to exploit the sun’s invisible, infrared rays. The Breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell technology.

Such as paint, composite can be sprayed onto other materials and the used as portable electricity. Sweater coated material could power a cell phone or other wireless devices. Hydrogen-powered car painted with the film could possibly change enough energy to electricity continuously to recharge a car battery.

New Energy’s very small solar cells exhibited nearly double the power density compared to monocrystalline silicon solar cell, 8-times higher power density than the copper-indium-selenide, and more than 10 times higher power density than the flexible "second generation" thin-film amorphous-silicon.

This technology can be applied to the existing building facades would produce 300% more energy compared to conventional roof mounted solar panels. High efficiency solar cell’s ability to complement also produces electricity, artificial light sources such as fluorescent light bulbs.

The prospect of generating electricity on glass windows is made possible through the use of special compounds which help conduct electricity on SolarWindow™, yet remain see-thru. In contrast, conventional materials for conducting electricity make use of metals which can block visibility and inhibit transparency.

Although colorful and opaque solar cells and windows are large commercial structures, they are not the best residential buildings and private homes.A see-through, uncolored solar window like the one developed by New Energy could mean that all buildings would be energy-generating windows, without sacrificing access to natural light. Plus, the windows are cheaper and potentially more efficient than traditional solar panels.

 

 

 

 

 

Spray-On Solar-Power Cells Are True Breakthrough

Scientists have invented a plastic solar cell that can turn the sun’s power into electrical energy, even on a cloudy day.

The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the first solar cells able to harness the sun’s invisible, infrared rays. The breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell technology.

Like paint, the composite can be sprayed onto other materials and used as portable electricity. A sweater coated in the material could power a cell phone or other wireless devices. A hydrogen-powered car painted with the film could potentially convert enough energy into electricity to continually recharge the car’s battery.

The researchers envision that one day "solar farms" consisting of the plastic material could be rolled across deserts to generate enough clean energy to supply the entire planet’s power needs.

"The sun that reaches the Earth’s surface delivers 10,000 times more energy than we consume," said Ted Sargent, an electrical and computer engineering professor at the University of Toronto. Sargent is one of the inventors of the new plastic material.

"If we could cover 0.1 percent of the Earth’s surface with [very efficient] large-area solar cells," he said, "we could in principle replace all of our energy habits with a source of power which is clean and renewable."

Infrared Power

Plastic solar cells are not new. But existing materials are only able to harness the sun’s visible light. While half of the sun’s power lies in the visible spectrum, the other half lies in the infrared spectrum.

The new material is the first plastic composite that is able to harness the infrared portion.

"Everything that’s warm gives off some heat. Even people and animals give off heat," Sargent said. "So there actually is some power remaining in the infrared [spectrum], even when it appears to us to be dark outside."

The researchers combined specially designed nano particles called quantum dots with a polymer to make the plastic that can detect energy in the infrared.

With further advances, the new plastic "could allow up to 30 percent of the sun’s radiant energy to be harnessed, compared to 6 percent in today’s best plastic solar cells," said Peter Peumans, a Stanford University electrical engineering professor, who studied the work.

While colorful and non-transparent solar cells and windows are great for commercial structures, they aren’t the best for residential buildings and private homes. A see-through, uncolored solar window like the one developed by New Energy could mean that all buildings could have energy-generating windows, without sacrificing access to natural daylight. Plus, the windows are cheaper and potentially more efficient than traditional solar panels.

 

 

SolarWindow with Clear Spray-On Film Could Generate 300% More Energy Than Solar Panels

 

In recent months, we’ve seen a lot of companies developing new technologies for solar cells to create energy-generating windows. Most are small squares that have to be manufactured in a temperature controlled lab vacuum, but New Energy Technologies has unveiled SolarWindow, a working prototype that is simply sprayed with the company’s eco-friendly electricity generating film to produce energy. The company estimates that when applied to the facade of an office tower, the windows could generate 300 percent more energy than solar panels mounted on a building’s roof.

 

Details about the product’s make-up have not been released, but New Energy stated that the film replaces the visibility blocking metal used in most solar panels with eco-friendly compounds. The film is 1/10th the thickness of current thin films, which allows the glass remains to transparent. It can generate electricity from natural and artificial light, and New Energy says they perform 10 times better than current solar film technologies.

New Energy sprays the film over the world’s smallest organic solar cells — smaller than a grain of rice — which allow the energy-generating film to be applied at room temperature and makes for inexpensive manufacturing. Because of their transparency, versatility, and eco-friendly compounds, the windows could be used in every type of building, from single family homes to office building skyscrapers.

WHY THIS MATTERS

While colorful and non-transparent solar cells and windows are great for commercial structures, they aren’t the best for residential buildings and private homes. A see-through, uncolored solar window like the one developed by New Energy could mean that all buildings could have energy-generating windows, without sacrificing access to natural daylight. Plus, the windows are cheaper and potentially more efficient than traditional solar panels.