Inside the new technology, the solar industry could Trans

The future of solar energy has always looked brighter in recent years due to the collapse of cost of silicon solar cells and a global push for clean energy sources to address climate change. In the most optimistic scenarios for the energy source, the solar power generation has increased 16-fold from 2016 to 2040, according to the International Energy Agency. But now new research in a class of materials such as perovskites underway in the US government laboratories and other facilities around the world met promises to rapidly accelerate even the most optimistic forecasts for solar applications. If she could do it from the laboratory to commercial use perovskites radically change the market for potential energy source takeover offer from renewable sources for power panels to almost any surface facing the sun. “The future of perovskites is breathtaking,” says Varun Sivaram, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “The Taming of The Sun,” a book on the future of solar energy. “For solar to anchor a clean energy revolution we’re for real technological innovation and perovskite it is the pioneer in my head have.” You need to understand the main reasons not natural or engineering degree, because perovskites potentially serve as a superior alternative to conventional solar cells, for perovskite solar cells are flexible and easy to produce. They can be painted by an ink solution on a surface or sprayed or printer slammed as a newspaper. does this flexibility, they can be installed virtually anywhere. During a visit to the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado., Researcher Joseph Berry and David Moore suggest excite the different research projects in perovskites progress from a laboratory phenomenon to a commercial reality to transform. Moore gets a small area with visible perovskite solar cells to store with a brush at a local craft that shows how easily bought coated cells can be applied. Berry shows an experiment are kept in perovskite cells in full light, in order to test their durability. Moore keeps a light on a solar cell which fades in response to light that the protective potential mimics sunlight. “Those who have the materials, the right properties that make them good at it,” says Berry. The researchers also believe that a more efficient materials to capture solar energy. silicon solar cells, the primary type used today on the roofs and in electrical power stations similar scale plants, are found in approximately 20% efficiency in general, that is, taking a fifth of the energy, which passes through and converted into electricity. A solar cell has reached perovskite say a record efficiency level of 22.7% last summer and researchers, this number is expected to increase with the search continues. The theoretical maximum efficiency of perovskites exceed 40%. And since perovskites are so thin, they can be applied to silicon modules that have already been constructed to increase the production of electricity. In the past, various solar technologies both flexibility and efficiency were offered, but must fight the researchers to combine the two. “Perovskites fragmented that trade, and promises to do better on literally every feature,” says Sivaram. However, challenges remain. Perhaps more importantly, silicon solar cells have been tested for decades and permanently shown during the life of perovskites remains largely unknown. And given the urgency of climate change, the world has experienced more than 30 years. “Four years ago you could do for a day,” says Berry. “We are now at 5,000 hours.” The technology – like others in the development of laboratories funded by the state – as well as challenges, which tried by an administration that undermined hopes of the renewable energy sources supported coal and other fossil fuels. The proposed 2018 budget Trump administration would cut funds from the Department of Energy renewable energy has more than 70% office. The office provides the bulk of the $293 million budget for the NREL. The budget cut has been rejected by Congress, which actually increases the budget renewable offices. And the members of the administration Trump praised NREL and other national energy laboratories of the department. Energy Minister Rick Perry is himself a “cheerleader” of the laboratory. Under energy Mark Menezes specifically perovskites during an appearance in an American Council on Renewable Energy Conference praised earlier this year while defending a balancing act, the proposed budget cuts. “It ‘s an extraordinary thing, what are our laboratories are able to do,” he said after exploring the story of perovskites NREL. “We are at an early stage to be able to take the research to be able to develop the technology to make it enforceable.” Ultimately, there can be a solution that converts solar energy perovskites. They face a number of challenges of the external weather conditions in a crowded market. But experts say clean energy that the federal government that a successful investment must continue to different technologies, although they can not be sure. “Our global competitors have intensified their funding of R & D for these technologies,” says Timothy Olson, policy and research director at ACORE. “We do not want to fall behind the United States.” Copyright
Image from Dennis Schroeder NREL