Researchers find a way to make solar energy more efficientMay 18, 2013
Yale researchers increase the efficiency of solar energy cells
Researchers from Connecticut’s Yale University have found a way to boost the efficiency of solar cells through the use of fluorescent dye. Efficiency has become a major topic in the field of solar energy. As solar energy begins to find more acceptance throughout the country, the need to develop more efficient technologies is becoming too great to ignore. Finding ways to make solar cells more efficient has become a very attractive subject for the science community.
Dye used to boost efficiency
A team of Yale researchers have been able to increase the efficiency of solar cells by as much as 38% through the use of fluorescent dye. This dye coats the solar cells and allows them to collect more light and recycle electrons more efficiently. The dying process is simple and the dye itself is inexpensive, leading researchers to believe that such a process could make solar energy a significantly more attractive alternative to fossil-fuels in the near future.
Polymer cells chosen due to their low cost
Researchers used polymer solar cells for their project. These solar cells are quite popular in the realm of solar energy due to the low cost. Like other solar cells, however, polymer cells are susceptible to efficiency shortfalls. These cells are typically only capable of converting 50% of the
sunlight they capture into electrical power. While polymer cells are a popular option, they are limited when it comes to the matter of energy production. Their low cost nature made them very appropriate subjects for researchers, however, as the team has been interested in finding ways to make solar energy less expensive.
Dye could be used on other solar cell designs
Researchers note that the dye used is highly absorbent in the near-infrared region. This broadens the light spectrum that solar cells are able to absorb, thus making them more effective in generating solar energy. Researchers suggest that the process they used to boost efficiency can be used in solar cells of various designs.
Watafiti wa Yale wamepata njia ya kuongeza ufanisi wa nishati ya jua kwa kutumia rangi ya fluorescent. Ufanisi umekuwa mada kuu katika uwanja wa nishati ya jua. Kwa kuwa nishati ya jua inaanza kukubaliwa zaidi nchini kote, uhitaji wa kutengeneza teknolojia zenye ufanisi zaidi unakuwa mkubwa sana usipuuze. Kupata njia za kufanya chembe za jua ziwe zenye ufanisi zaidi kumekuwa jambo lenye kuvutia sana kwa jamii ya wanasayansi. Timu ya watafiti wa Yale wameweza kuongeza ufanisi wa seli za jua kwa asilimia 38 kwa kutumia rangi ya fluorescent. Rangi hiyo hufunika chembe za jua na kuwezesha kukusanya nuru zaidi na kuondoa elektroni kwa njia bora zaidi. Utaratibu wa kufa ni rahisi na rangi yenyewe ni ya bei nafuu, na hivyo kuwafanya watafiti kuamini kwamba mchakato kama huo unaweza kufanya nishati ya jua kuwa mbadala wa kuvutia zaidi kwa mafuta ya mafuta katika siku zijazo. Chembe za polima zilizochaguliwa kwa sababu ya gharama yao ya chini Watafiti walitumia chembe za jua za polima kwa mradi wao. Seli hizi za jua ni maarufu sana katika ulimwengu wa nishati ya jua kwa sababu ya gharama ya chini. Hata hivyo, kama vile chembe nyingine za jua, chembe za polima zinaweza kushindwa kufanya kazi vizuri. Kwa kawaida, chembe hizi zinaweza kugeuza tu 50% ya mwanga wa jua wanaokamata kuwa umeme. Ingawa chembe za polima ni chaguo maarufu, zina mipaka inapohusu utengenezaji wa nishati. "Ubora wa nishati ya jua ni muhimu kwa watafiti, kwa sababu ""wanachunguza"" jinsi ya kupunguza gharama ya nishati ya jua." Kwa mfano, kuna uwezekano wa kutumia rangi ya jua kwa ajili ya vifaa vingine vya kuunda chembe za jua, lakini kwa sababu ya uwezo wake wa kuingiza rangi ya jua, inaweza kutumika katika sehemu ya karibu ya infrared. Hilo huongeza mwangaza ambao chembe za jua zinaweza kunyonya, na hivyo kuzifanya ziwe na uwezo mkubwa zaidi wa kutokeza nishati ya jua. Watafiti wanasema kwamba mbinu waliyotumia ili kuongeza ufanisi inaweza kutumiwa katika chembe za jua za aina mbalimbali.