The 5 Most Innovative Solar Technologies

The 5 Most Innovative Solar Technologies

 

1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel was the first to discover solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that the first silicon-based solar cells were shown to work. Solar power is one of the world’s most well-known types of green energy today. In 2022, 12% of the world’s power will come from it.

 

China, the US, and Japan are the biggest countries that generate the most solar energy. With new technologies making solar cells cheaper, stronger, more efficient, smaller, lighter, and better, it’s an exciting time to be in the solar business. Please find out more regarding our best new tools for using solar energy.

 

Solar tracking tools

 

Specialized instruments are utilized by solar tracking devices to locate the sun. One of the more common ways that solar trackers are used is to place photovoltaic cells. They keep the screens at the right aspect of the sun’s rays and set up space cameras to figure out where the sun is. Most recent advances in systems that track the sun are focused on:

 

• Dual-axis tracking: Moves both up and down and side to side to follow the sun and get more light at various times of the day.
• AI, IoT, and machine learning: AI and machine learning algorithms can forecast how the sun will move and adjust the angle of the solar panel. IoT connectivity can also show how energy is created and how well everything works in real time.
• Wireless communication: An inverter and batteries, among the additional components of a solar energy system, can talk to each other with the help of wireless technology.
• Scientists are looking into what would happen if they didn’t use motors or other mechanical parts to make and place solar panels but instead used lighter materials.

 

Thin-film solar cells

 

Thin-film solar cells are created by depositing a few thin layers of photovoltaic material on various materials and surfaces. Normal silicon solar cells that emit light and can bend can be made with them. Thin-film solar cells produced by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers are 100 times lighter and 18 times more potent per kilogram than regular solar panels.

 

Flexible surfaces such as metal foil or plastic, which give you more choices, have been the primary goal of recent improvements. Perovskite solar cells, which use just a single layer of perovskite material, and tandem cells, which can use multiple layers of thin-film materials, are two new types of thin-film solar cells. Solar cells that can be put on and used in clothes or handheld gadgets are also being looked into.

 

Transparent solar cells

 

The World Economic Forum says that the first sunscreens that might be seen were made at Michigan State University (MSU). The solar cells look like clear glass from a distance. They are suitable for transparent windows and touch panels since they only collect infrared and ultraviolet light.

 

Most of the time, transparent solar panels are used for windows and other building materials, yet they can also be used for many other things. This technology might find applications in a wide range of goods, such as smartphones, computers, and other gadgets.

 

Engineers at Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have already set a new benchmark for how effective clear solar cells can be. This makes it possible to make windows that make electricity, which might power our homes and other gadgets.

 

Solar-powered desalination

 

We talked about how there is insufficient clean water on Earth Day. Today, we want to show you a secure method to meet the increasing demand for freshwater and add more water sources. Solar-powered desalination is a way to get clean and usable water or sterilize medical tools in spots that aren’t tied to the power grid. It makes use of both solar energy and water treatment.

 

A group of scientists from MIT and China has just made a new purification system that functions better and costs less than previous systems that used the sun. This method helps stop salt from building up. The technique might clean up polluted wastewater or generate steam to sterilize surgical instruments without an extra power source.

 

Solar-powered shipping

 

The shipping and farming businesses have also greatly changed because of solar technology. For instance, it can run systems that water plants, machines that make food, and other tools used in farming. In addition, high-tech instruments like solar-powered monitoring devices may help farmers keep track of vital elements like temperature, soil moisture, and humidity levels, allowing them to utilize water more effectively and waste less.

 

Farmers can save money and energy this way and make their fields better for the earth. Using solar electricity for shipping and hauling can also help reduce carbon pollution. Already, electric services that transport things are powered by solar energy. Solar roof installations on truck trailers and solar-powered trains are two examples. On top of that, GPS trackers are powered by the sun and check how well the system acts without utilizing the car’s battery.