Light funneling to increase solar cells from 20 percent to 60 percent efficiency

A very interesting accidental discover could lead to 60 percent efficient solar cells. It's based on material science where the material has a 25% stretching possibility. This could lead the creation of fish eye collector of strands of the material.

a reply to: dfnj2015

That's huge! I'm speechless

a reply to: Aallanon

I just get so sick of the news I just don't watch it anymore. It's nice to see a story that gives me a tiny shred of hope.

a reply to: dfnj2015

There is always hope! Good on you for finding it.

Great find!

I keep waiting to buy solar cells for the price/efficiency to get better.

This could be a game changer if allowed to come to market!

a reply to: dfnj2015

Nice.. S&F

Very Nice.... even odds on solar vs. low heat computer chips first.

Now, see who get's the patent and if they use it or throw it in a dark vault so nobody else can develop it.

It will be made available to third world countries. The rest of us will have to buy the inefficient expensive technology since we already have power plants to support.

originally posted by: Aallanon
a reply to: dfnj2015

That's huge! I'm speechless

That's what she said

Ba Dum Tssss

Future history?

In attempting to bring their discovery to market, they encounter the active opposition of the Power Syndicate, a conglomeration of energy-producing companies dedicated to preserving their monopoly on power production. Rather than trying to maintain a patent on their invention, the scientists then publicly release the scientific details of their discovery for a small royalty, allowing anyone to obtain their own power, and thus outwitting the Power Syndicate.

en.wikipedia.org...(Heinlein_short_story)

Ok, I am up early.

Looks so good I would be wanting to have a few modules of those solar panels and see the difference between the ones we can buy now... I like the logic the Scientist followed. Graphene will absorb the light extremely well. So well that the subsequent convective heat could be used.

Graphene and Iron Chloride molecules. Been a while since i heard Ferrous used. American scientist will say it but usually say iron oxide and such. We never say Plumbus (Pb) when discussing Lead.

originally posted by: Phage
Future history?

In attempting to bring their discovery to market, they encounter the active opposition of the Power Syndicate, a conglomeration of energy-producing companies dedicated to preserving their monopoly on power production. Rather than trying to maintain a patent on their invention, the scientists then publicly release the scientific details of their discovery for a small royalty, allowing anyone to obtain their own power, and thus outwitting the Power Syndicate.

en.wikipedia.org...(Heinlein_short_story)

Hehehehehhee ^__^ Them hyperparanoid hyperparaboloids.. That'd make an awesome movie or game with updated technology as the subject material.

The problem with solar power isn't the "collecting" it's the "storing"

a reply to: dfnj2015

Nice to hear some good news. s&f for you.

originally posted by: Aallanon
The problem with solar power isn't the "collecting" it's the "storing"

Efficiency and storage are both issues, but getting the efficiency of collecting from 20% to 60% would be a big step. Someday someone will do it, and efficiency has been creeping up with other advances so I'm not sure about the 20% figure anymore.

If your collection efficiency is way up then maybe you can tolerate larger losses in conversion to storage, like maybe the relatively inefficient use of electrolysis or similar processes to produce hydrogen from water becomes more feasible as a storage method.

I'm not sure if this is the needed breakthrough though. He says something about making the discovery in 2012 and now 6 years later all he's got is a paper? If I made a discovery in 2012 for how to make a 60% efficient solar cell I'd be spending those 6 years trying to make the solar cell but has he really done that? Maybe there are some issues with the technology preventing its practical implementation, such as working with material only a few atoms thick. That could be a little tricky, maybe not so much for small samples in a lab but for mass production, or maybe durability is a practical problem with such a thin material?

Let me put it this way; I'll be a lot more excited when I can actually buy the 60% efficient solar cells for a reasonable price, which last long enough to pay back the investment in them and then some, but from what I see here it doesn't seem to be just around the corner.

a reply to: Arbitrageur

Mit made this announcement in 2013 and China was even earlier than that. It doesnt increase the efficiency of conversion. What it does is it makes the collecting of electrons freed by photons more efficient. But problem is there's now more efficient methods of photon collections through layering.