Solar power has been touted as one of the alternatives to fossil fuel. Aside from generating power from sunlight, solar power helps reduce the dependence on polluting fossil fuels to create energy, notably in the form of electricity. That runs homes as well as different gadgets. But currently, generating energy from solar power prove to be more expensive that using fossil fuels. But recent advances may help change this. A team of researchers from the University of Sheffield has developed a type of spray-on solar cells that may help provide some innovation to the way current solar cells are made.
While the concept of creating spray-on solar cells has been around for quite some time, it is only recently that the researchers have finally found a way to make this possible. The scientists at the University of Sheffield are the first to develop perovskite solar cells using a spray-painting technique. This could eventually help cut the cost of generating solar electricity. The researchers have previously created solar cells using the same spray painting technique using organic semiconductors. But it is the first time that they were able to make one out of perovskite.
Perovskite, which is also a calcium titanium oxide mineral, is considered as a very promising new material used for solar cells because of its low cost and high efficiency. Currently, silicon is the primary material used is considered as 25 percent efficient in generating solar electricity. Perovskites are not far behind in terms of the efficiency scale at 19 percent.
But what may be a potential upside for using perovskite is the less energy it used during manufacture. The spray painting method also makes it easier to integrate to existing applications in high volume manufacturing. Eventually, this may help bring down the cost of solar cell production.
With solar power becoming more and more accepted as a potential energy-generating alternative, these advances may further help the cause of using cleaner and more environment-friendly energy.
Source: Gizmodo
