The main source of energy for all life on Earth Is the Sun. This is what developers of innovations in the energy sector have been focusing on recently. The use of solar energy is finding new areas every day, so the relevance of such developments is constantly increasing. Energy, medicine, automotive industry, residential and office space development, lighting equipment – all areas where developments related to solar energy consumption are involved are difficult to list. Developers present their new products at various conferences, expo exhibitions and scientific seminars.
Roof tiles on photocells
A new multifunctional roofing material has been developed that has all the necessary qualities for a sealed roof roof and combines built-in photocells. Such shingles are equipped with transparent durable glass capsules, which house ultra-thin solar panels, which exactly follow the shape of the outer surface of the shingles. The efficiency factor of such roofing tiles is very high - up to 17.5%, which is an impressive value for this type of battery. Depending on the roof area, such a roof can solve all the energy problems of a private house. Construction companies are already interested in this novelty, so in the near future, we can expect a rapid spread of photovoltaic tiles in the construction of many facilities.
Double sided batteries
A real sensation was made by the joint idea of German and Singaporean scientists who presented a double-sided solar module. The innovation concerns the fact that on the same area of batteries with almost the same costs, it is possible to generate 30% more electricity than was previously possible. The principle is based on the fact that photocells should be located both on the surface facing the sun and on the shadow side, which at the same time absorbs sunlight. In addition, such installations have a long service life due to the reliability of each of the elements. According to the most conservative forecasts, it will be possible to use such double-sided modules for at least 30 years.
The power of the modules significantly exceeds those that were still available on the energy-saving market, and this will allow them to be installed even in regions with a small number of Sunny days and with severe frosts, where the use of solar energy in previous years was not advisable. At the moment, negotiations are underway with industrial enterprises that will start mass production of two-way modules. The product is expected to enter the construction market in 1.5-2 years.
Perovskite-based batteries
Use thin-film technologies based on silicon-containing compounds to convert photovoltaic energy. Such compositions are sprayed under vacuum conditions, which makes their production expensive and leads to the release of pollutants. A group of English scientists has proposed a new solution that reduces the cost of this process. Instead of silicon, solar cells contain a complex mineral called perovskite. With the help of this substance, you can effectively convert solar energy into electricity not only under direct rays, but also in cloudy or rainy weather. With the widespread introduction of perovskite, we can expect stable use of solar cells throughout the year in all climatic conditions.
Flexible elements
Another innovative technology in solar energy conversion has touched the cost of generating electricity using a special chemical compound used in solar cells. For mass production, the price difference will be 5-6 times. The main difference is that classic solar cells are very tough, brittle and quite heavy. Made with the new alloy, the batteries are so thin that they are comparable in thickness to newsprint, which can be rolled or formed into any complex curved shape. This innovation dramatically expands the use of flexible elements. Firstly, the new composition is very inexpensive, and secondly, cells for such batteries can be produced on simple printers, which eliminates complex production.
Automotive innovation
The Solar Impuls-2 liner has become the most successful experience of using solar energy during air travel. Using exclusively the energy of light, he was able to spend more than 510 hours in flight, which became an absolute record in this field. The plane flew around the world, crossed several oceans and made only a couple of landings during this time due to bad weather conditions. For 120 hours he stayed in the air non-stop, which is considered impossible for liquid-fueled aircraft. The element located on the upper panel of the aircraft uses a sandwich system that combines 8 layers. Through the cascades of these interlayers, light passes the path of conversion into electric current. Previously, the layers were connected in series, changing polarity. In this project, a parallel connection was used, which immediately increased the efficiency of the system by almost 1.5 times.
Protective coating
One of the main problems of solar energy from the first steps was the factor of dust and mud pollution. When used outdoors, the modules were quickly covered with a small layer of dust, which became thicker every day. This reduced the efficiency of the system at times.
"This year, the development of panels equipped with a protective coating was presented. Photocells on the upper surface have an additional double layer, half of which protects from dust and dirt, and the second part reduces glare, which allows more of the brightest and most efficient rays to participate in the process".
Household appliances
New solar energy Products have not been spared and household appliances. Several interesting new products were presented, the most impressive of which is The gosun grill. With it, you can easily stew, cook, fry and steam dishes for 8 people using pure natural energy. In such devices, heat is accumulated inside the vacuum tube due to the presence of aluminum sheets-concentrators that heat the inside of the grill oven to 200°C in 2 minutes. Another positive point is that cooking in this way does not produce harmful smoke, which pollutes the atmosphere and contributes to the development of the greenhouse effect.
Solar powered car
Another innovation in solar technology is the development of the Stella family car, which can carry a small family of 4 people. There have been attempts to create such a car before, but only now has technology made it possible to make it competitive in the car market. The main disadvantages have been eliminated: slow speed and a small amount of energy. Now the car can travel at a speed of 110 km / h, which is more than enough for family transport. After dark, the accumulated light energy will last for another 600 km - this is a really impressive figure. If we add to all the advantages that Stella works almost silently and does not produce harmful exhaust gases at all, it becomes clear that the development of this type of vehicle is a very promising direction for the energy sector.
Window heating
The next opening turned the surface of the windows into an efficient battery. A special composition is applied to the glass, which actively absorbs the rays of the sun. Light is accumulated and converted to electricity. The application of the composition does not make the glass opaque, since the film is very thin and completely colorless. In addition, the development allows you to consume not only direct rays, but also diffused light in cloudy weather. Such photocells do not spoil the appearance of the building and do not require additional installation space.
So, it becomes clear that solar energy technologies have penetrated all spheres of life and industry, making it more convenient and replacing non-renewable resources that are constantly increasing in value.