Hugh Bollinger / Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Solar game changer?

Solar energy is plentiful, limitless, arrives free of charge as the sun rises, and may finally be coming into its own as a source of renewable electricity. A graph prepared by the German Advisory Council on Global Change shows 21st Century growth projections for solar power in comparison to other energy resources. The percentage contribution from solar constantly increases. [caption id="attachment_3541" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="Solar energy growth. Source: German Advisory Council on Global Change"]

[/caption] Ever since they were invented by Bell Labs in the 1950s, the overall cost of manufacturing the solar photovoltaic (PV) cells was high, and their efficiency at converting the sun's energy into electricity was often marginal. That all may be about ready to change if the research by a young Australian company, Dyesol, in Canberra comes to fruition. According to the Company, the Dyesol technology can best be described as "artificial photosynthesis." Their new PV material sandwiches between two layers of glass an electrolyte, a layer of titanium -- the pigment that, when combined with oxygen, makes white paints and toothpaste white -- and ruthenium dye. Light striking the dye excites electrons, which are absorbed by the titanium to become an electric current stronger than any natural photosynthesis found in plants. There are reports that their new photo-sensitive materials will even convert ambient light in a room with the windowshades down into current. [caption id="attachment_3547" align="aligncenter" width="259" caption="Commercial solar PV panels"]

[/caption] If the Dyesol technology proves amenable to industrial-scale manufacturing efficiencies, we may finally have a real solar "game changer" from that beautiful sun-baked land available to the world. WHB

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Tags: artificial photosynthesis Dyesol organic PV technology PV technology renewable energy solar energy

Solar game changer?

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