New methods spur solar advancement

Advances in solar technology are driving the increased use of solar panels all over the world. The energy-generating potential of solar panels is a result of what they’re made of. But limitations exist also. Silicon panels are declining in price so much that in some locations they can produce electricity that costs roughly the same as power from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. However, silicon solar panels are also bulky and brittle, so they can’t be used in every location.

Solar contributes vital power in cities and villages alike

Regular uninterrupted electricity is rare in many countries. In some of these areas, solar panels can provide reading light after dark and energy to pump drinking water, help power small household devices or village-based businesses. However, the fragility, weight, and transportation difficulties of silicon solar panels indicate that silicon may not be an ideal material for constructing solar panels.

Inventors are working to develop flexible solar panels, which would be as efficient as a silicon panel, but would be thinner, lightweight, and pliable. This kind of device, which we call a “solar tarp,” could be spread out to the size of an entire room and generate electricity from the sun. Some creative types are trying to make organic solar cells more flexible by making them ultra-thin. But real durability requires a molecular structure that makes the solar panels stretchable and tough.

Silicon semiconductors are the norm today

Silicon is made from sand, which makes it extremely plentiful and inexpensive. The way its atoms pack in a solid material makes it a good semiconductor. This means its conductivity can be switched on and off using electric fields or light. Because it’s inexpensive and useful, silicon is the basis for the microchips and circuit boards in computers, mobile phones, and basically all other electronics. They transmit electrical signals from one component to another. Silicon is also the key to most solar panels because it converts the energy from light into positive and negative charges. But its chemical properties also mean it can’t be turned into flexible electronics. Silicon doesn’t absorb light particularly efficiently. Photons pass right through a silicon panel that’s too thin, so they have to be fairly thick — around 100 micrometers, about the thickness of a dollar bill — so that none of the light is wasted.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. 

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.