Photovoltaic
Solar Cell
is an electronic device that converts solar energy into
electricity using the photovoltaic effect. The
modern age of solar power technology arrived in 1954
while experimenting with semiconductors and accidentally
found that silicon
doped with certain impurities was very sensitive to
light.
The
production of electricity with solar energy in the
traditional method does not yield enough to be called
mass production. Hence, a new way needed to be
formulized wherein there was higher efficiency than
traditional solar cells.
We
are conversant with the fact that solar cells absorb the
visible light of the sun, though half of the sun’s
output is made up of infrared light that too strikes the
earth and it remains completely un-utilized. That is why
only about 30% of the total sunlight can be converted to
electricity thus lowering photovoltaic cells’
efficiency. The
idea was to generate greater consumable electricity for
household and daily livelihood.
A
new technology was then put to use wherein the infrared
energy is collected and converted to electricity instead
of working with the protons from sunrays. Such panels
are very good electricity generators as they have the
ability to collect more than 80% of the energy and use
it for the generation of
electricity.
The
dye, a zinc phthalocyanine compound, is the one to boost
the output of the next generation solar cells. It
is called the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC). While
ruthenium-based dye molecules are responsible for
capturing visible light, a thin layer of nanocrystalline
titanium dioxide produces the electrical current.
Titanium dioxide is a common mineral found in paints,
toothpaste and sunscreen.
The
panels made using this formula are very cheap in their
setup and have low maintenance costs too. Recently it
has been reported that the volatile substances used as
electrolytes have been removed from the cells without
reducing their efficiency. The usage of cheap plastics
instead of expensive crystalline silicon was the most
important factor to slash down cost. These plastic
sheets contain billions of nanoantennas that collect the
heat energy generated by the sun and other sources could
dramatically improve the use of a type of energy we are
all aware of. They have reduced the thickness of the
layer of molecules on the surface of our nanoparticles
that impede the escape of the energy-containing charges
that they wish to harvest.
Building
an alternative energy system can have numerous
ecological and financial benefits, but building such a
cost efficient system requires one to know exactly where
to buy cheap parts and batteries from, the safety
precautions that need to be followed, choosing the
location, designing the house and also wiring the
system. The only way to achieve that is by following a
safe, proven and effective step by step
system.
