Revolutionize Efficiency of Solar PV Modules by using Nanotechnology

Abstract

Nanoscale technology may be the mantra that will unlock the secret to major advancements that would fulfill the need for clean and renewable sources of energy. Find out more about this path-breaking discovery. Clean power generation from renewable energy is seen as the solution to the climate impacts of the energy sector. However, there are barriers yet to be overcome to scale up energy production through renewable. The conversion efficiency of a solar cell is the percentage of the solar energy shining on a PV device that is converted into electrical energy. Improving conversion efficiency is a key goal of much research and help to make PV technologies cost competitive with more traditional source of energy. A novel structure of photovoltaic cell design is demonstrated theoretically in this study which can improve conversion efficiency drastically and can reduce size of module too. This structure of cell can capture sunlight from all direction except bottom surface. The architecture is different from that of conventional PV cells which is like plates in which top surface receives sunlight. This new three dimensional cells resembles a tiny tower and several such towers can be staked like a high rise building. Fabrication of the cells begins with a silicon wafer, which can also serve as the solar cell’s bottom junction. The advantages of nanotubes over metallic grids are dimension reduction thus reduced loss owing to shading, nanotubes provide one dimensional conduction, and nanotubes can be impregnated subsurface eliminating shading loss completely and also capturing charges which are unable to reach to surface The main challenges now for the application of nanomaterials in the energy sector are the improvement of efficiency, reliability, safety and lifetime, as well as the reduction of costs. To date, universities, research institutes, and even governments are paying attention to the synergy that could be established between nanotechnology and renewable energy. In Singapore, the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology was created to work closely on the field.

Recently, the institute has developed a more efficient and longer lasting fuel cell through a compound of gold, copper and platinum nanoparticles. The researchers found out that replacing the innermost part of the catalyst of the fuel cell with gold and copper alloy, while leaving just the outer layer in platinum, will deliver five times higher activity. Platinum nanoparticles are often used as catalyst in commercially available fuel cells, since platinum is the only metal that is resistant to extreme acidic condition inside such a cell. The prevalent use of fuel cells has been deterred by the high cost of platinum and its low stability. The new advanced fuel cell material could help overcome these barriers, providing a less expensive material and much greater stability. In 2011, the US President Barack Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a national effort by the industry, universities, and the federal government that provides more than $500 million in investments in emerging technologies such as information technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. To conclude, nanoscale technology looks promising as a major contributor to advancements needed to fulfill the potential of emerging sources of clean, renewable energy. Progress in the comparatively new area of nanoelectronics in particular could be the basis for new manufacturing processes and devices to make renewable energy systems and technologies more efficient and cost-effective.