The steel industry is working with a number of UK university researchers to develop a photovoltaic paint, reports Renewable Energy World.
The paint is made up of dye and electrolytes that can be applied as a paste to steel sheets. Four layers of paint are applied to each sheet. When light hits the solar cells, excited molecules release an electron into an electron collector and circuit (nanocrystalline titanium dioxide). Finally, the electrons move back into the dye. - Cleantechnica
The paint goes on as a paste when the steel sheets pass through rollers during the manufacturing process and requires four layers. They are hoping to be able to apply it at a rage of 30 - 40 square meters per second. Here's how it will work:
Light hits the dye-sensitized solar cells, exciting the molecules that act as a light absorber or sensitizer. The excited molecules release an electron into the nanocrystalline titanium dioxide layer, which acts as an electron collector and a circuit. The electrons finally move back into the dye, attracted by positively charged iodide particles in a liquid electrolyte.
The solar electricity that the area covered with paint generates is collected and provides power for whatever application it is connected to. - Renewable Energy World
The paint is expected to be available in the next three years and be able to produce as much as 9000 gigawatt (GW) hours of energy every year with 11% power conversion efficiency based on being applied to 100 million square meters of steel sheets per year. This is an improvement from March when they expected it could produce around 4500 GW hours per year with 5% power conversion efficiency.
Solar paint has a number of advantages over conventional solar cells; it can absorb across the visible spectrum, so produce energy on cloudy days and it will theoretically be more widely available and less expensive than traditional silicon-based solar cells because it does not face the same material limitations.
The steel industry is so certain about this technology that they have built a lab in North Wales that starts work today. Involved universities include Swansea, Bangor University, University of Bath, and the Imperial College London.
G24 Innovations started manufacturing dye-sensitized thin-film solar cells to be used for solar-powered chargers for mobile phones and digital cameras in Cardiff in Wales in 2007. The company claims its cells are the closest human beings have as yet come to replicating plant's photosynthesis. - Renewable Energy World
It's another exciting technology development that can help us reach the goal of 100% clean, renewable energy grid within the next 10 years.
Further Reading:
- It's Curtains for Solar Power - Nanotechnology Brings Solar Power to Fabrics
- Solar Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- Solar Roads. The Power Under Our Feet
- Polar Explorer Raises the World's First Solar Sail
- Concentrating Solar - Now Safe For Roof Tops
- Will Africa Be The Hub For a Green, Global "Super Energy Grid"?
- Nature Inspires Solar Power Revolution
- Solar Powered Car Arrives on the West Coast to Take in the Sun and Spread Renewable Technology Gospel
- Utah's Solar Fired Furnace to Power California for Less Than the Cost of Coal or Gas
- Solar Thermal Power Coming to a Boil
- First Solar to Build 10-Megawatt Photovoltaic Power Station
- Nanosolar Cheaper Than Coal
- Thin Film Solar Now Shipping
