Clean energy is taking the world by storm right now, and there’s no doubt about the fact that more and more governments, businesses, and households are choosing to adopt renewable methods of obtaining energy. Solar power has become hugely popular over the years, and while we’re seeing even more solar panels adorn roofs and satellites, there have been some questions raised over the effectiveness of them. Well, it seems as though this newly developed solar cell has stopped those questions in their tracks.
All About Efficiency
When any new product comes onto the market, it’s tested for its efficiency and whether it’s a worthwhile investment, and this new solar cell has been scrutinized under this ruling. It was fabricated by scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and they have since broken two records due to the fact that its efficiency is off the charts compared to the others out there. To be exact, this solar cell has an efficiency of around 50% — whereas the average solar cell out in use today has an efficiency rating of around 15% to 20%.
A Huge Achievement
This is a huge achievement for the scientist behind this new cell, and copious amounts of time and energy have gone into the research and the making of this new feat of science. That’s because it’s a six-junction solar cell that “really demonstrates the extraordinary potential of multijunction solar cells,” and is made from high-quality materials. In fact, they utilized III-V materials that are known for their impressive light absorption properties. The whole device features an impressive 140 layers of this material, and while it sounds large, the whole thing is three times thinner than a human hair.
It’s been noted that this newly developed solar cell will pave the way for even more impressive renewable technology, so you could see these cells making their way across the world for years to come.