Hope for the Future of Solar Energy

How amazing would it be to have solar panels that not only functioned during the day but the night as well? It would be pretty cool, but you may be asking how on Earth this would ever be possible. Science. That’s how it’s possible. Some pretty cool science that is.

A typical solar panel is power rated when sunlight is at its climax (zenith) which is a radiance of approximately 1 kilowatt per square meter at sea level. This peak energy contains a combination of infrared radiation, visible light, and ultraviolet radiation (527 watts of infrared radiation, 445 watts of visible light, and 32 watts of ultraviolet radiation). Today’s solar cells can only process visible light, LOSING 56% of the available energy to be converted to electricity.

But there is a solution: quantum dot solar cells. Quantum dot solar cells are a very recent invention. These new cells have the ability to absorb power from ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light, picking up the energy wasted by traditional solar panels.

These tiny cells (smaller than living cells) have so much potential. Solar energy itself is such a promising alternative to fossil fuels with its unlimited supply of energy and no carbon emissions. It has always been an expensive project to implement, but now, with advanced automated tetrapod quantum dot manufacturing, both cost and efficiency concerns are addressed. Companies like Solterra Renewable Technologies Inc. are already starting the manufacturing of this new technology. The future of solar powered technology is looking better than ever.

To learn more about the science behind quantum dot solar cells, click HERE.