Hmmm. An A2 paper is 594mm x 420mm, which works out to be 40%
efficient if it can generate 100 watts. Given that the best
commercial PV module I can buy right now from SunPower is about 20%
efficient, and I think the highest recorded laboratory efficiency is
only 34% or so, I am immediatly inclined to not believe them.
Maybe they meant 100 watt hours instead of 100 watts. This makes more
sense, because then, assuming about 5 peak sun hours, that module is
only 8% efficient, which makes more sense. But then I am also
inclined to not believe them because they can't even keep watts and
watthours straight.
I wonder how biodegradeable the panels are? Has anyone ever seen what
happens to plastic bottles from drinking water in these places? They
are everywhere, because people just throw them out the back door when
they're done with them. Now we're going to have old thrown away solar
panels blowing around in the wind. Or I guess you could burn them,
but I suspect the inks to make a solar panel might have some heavy
metal issues... Often old paper is used to feed goats, so what might
those inks do to the goats, and eventually to the people through the
milk and meat from the goats? Why not at least print them on durable
plastic, or try addressing the financing issue to allow people to buy
ones that don't need to be thrown away so often.
Zeke
On 11/22/05, Alt.EnergyNetwork [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Disposable solar panels developed using nanotechnology
Scientists at the University of Cape Town are exploiting
the nano-scale properties of silicon to develop a
super-thin disposable solar panel poster which they
hope could offer rural dwellers a cheap, alternative
source of power. Many people living in remote areas
are not linked to the national electricity grid, and
use batteries or run their own generators to supply
their power needs. The scientists have developed
technology for printing specialised inks containing
tiny nanoparticles of silicon and other semiconductors
onto paper. The solar panels are printed in much the
same way as conventional colour images, using three
or four separate print runs with black, blue, yellow
and magenta ink. They print the metal contacts, then
the semiconductor structure, then more contacts. The
voltage and power output of the solar cell is determined
by the size of the poster. An A2-sized poster will
deliver up to 100W of power, enough to charge a cellphone,
power a radio or provide five hours of lighting, said
Prof David Britton, a physicist specialising in
nanotechnology. Many families cannot afford R1000 for
a solar panel designed to last 30 years, but they can
afford R10 every three to six months for a 'disposable'
panel, he said.
Shops could stock rolls of solar panel posters, and cut
it to meet a customer's needs. The poster could be mounted
behind a window or attached to a cabinet. Britton's team
has built a successful prototype and is seeking to
commercialise the project.
http://news.mongabay.com/2005/1121-uct.html
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