Silicon has been used as the conventional material to produce solar panels for a while now. Since silicon is quite costly and makes solar technology an expensive one, researchers at UCLA University suggest thin film solar or Thin Solid Films as a possible solution. The films could help them achieve 20% efficiency. So, it’s going to be better than the CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium and Selenide)and may possibly replace the latter. It would be perfectly possible to place these on backpacks and clothing.
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May hit production in 3-4 years:
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With this solution for manufacturing thin film solar spreadable, we can achieve efficiency levels of 20% and lowering production costs in a meaningful way.
Says William Hou, a graduate student in engineering at UCLA in a statement.
It was never easy for the scientists to hit that 9.13% efficiency at present. They have gone strength to strength in increasing the efficiency at a steady pace of 1% every month. With the introduction of the new technology, now they eye the 20% efficiency as a feasible target. They won’t need to go through vacuum evaporation for film spread. Instead, they’ll use a special liquid to form layers of thin films.
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