An interesting addition to our post about solar energy yesterday…
GroovyGreen.com reports (via Neoseeker) that researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are developing a technology that would in theory increase the ability of solar panels to collect energy from the sun from the present efficiency of approximately 20% up to a whopping 80%. The process would use nanotechnology to put millions of minuscule antennas on the panels which would be much more receptive than the traditional silicon panels. Unfortunately this process has yet to incorporate a way to store or transmit the energy, preventing it from being an immediate solution. However the INL team estimates that they are only a few years away from solving this issue and thereby being able to offer a radically superior next generation of solar energy collection.
As we noted in yesterday’s post, in order for solar energy to exist on its own (i.e., without subsidies or public benevolence), the cost of producing it must dramatically decrease (or the cost of other forms must increase). The INL research is promising since it could lead to a major decrease in solar energy costs by making the process substantially more efficient (just unfortunately not today).
- Similar Posts:
- Germans debate continued solar subsidies
- Solar energy generates billions in investment and subsidies but when will it exist on its own?
- Senate passes extension of wind and solar credits but measure still requires House approval
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