Plastic solar cells now 4.4% efficient!
#1
10-13-2005, 02:07 AM
Plastic solar cells now 4.4% efficient!
See here for story: http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6518
They reckon the plastic cells, verified by NREL at 4.4% efficient, could cost as little as a tenth of today's silicon-based solar cells!
They are confident they can double the efficiency in the near future, with a longer term target of 15-20% efficiency and a lifespan of 15-20 years.
By my (amateur) calculations, that suggests that a metre square of this plastic stuff could end up costing only $40. In some desert areas of the States, 1 metre squared of flat land receives an amount of incident solar radiation averaging 2,500 kilowatt-hours per year. Assuming a 15% efficiency, the plastic cells could recover up to 375 kWh per m2 per year. At 5 cents per kWh wholesale, that's an income of $19 per year. It could pay itself back in two years time!
They reckon the plastic cells, verified by NREL at 4.4% efficient, could cost as little as a tenth of today's silicon-based solar cells!
They are confident they can double the efficiency in the near future, with a longer term target of 15-20% efficiency and a lifespan of 15-20 years.
By my (amateur) calculations, that suggests that a metre square of this plastic stuff could end up costing only $40. In some desert areas of the States, 1 metre squared of flat land receives an amount of incident solar radiation averaging 2,500 kilowatt-hours per year. Assuming a 15% efficiency, the plastic cells could recover up to 375 kWh per m2 per year. At 5 cents per kWh wholesale, that's an income of $19 per year. It could pay itself back in two years time!
#2
10-13-2005, 03:51 AM
Re: Plastic solar cells now 4.4% efficient!
Not bad, so for about $1,000, I could get 24 m2 of panels and power an avg home based on 750kWh per month of usage. Provided that it was sunny most of the time. What are the figures for 43N lattitude?
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