With the rise in carbon levels from the burning of fossil fuels, people have started to take note of renewable energy, solar in particular.
They are above all, free, clean and commercially viable.
And now American researchers are investigating new methods to produce solar cells, which will capture the sun’s energy.
Oregon State University is at the centre of this latest development. It’s based on the same technology used in inkjet printers, which print documents and photos.
The researchers have claimed that this process would cut raw material usage by 90%. They have also said it would be a quicker and cheaper way to create solar technology, than what is currently manufactured.
Professor Chih-hung Chang, who is heading the research, said: “This is very promising and could be an important new technology to add to the solar energy field.
“Solar energy is the most abundant and clean energy source on Earth.
“Considering the high price of petroleum and other fossil fuels, solar cells will definitely have a bright future.”
The research team are experimenting with a material with greater solar efficiency than silicon (used in solar panels), known as chalcopyrite.
The chalcopyrite is printed onto the cell surface, in a similar manner to how the inkjet printer works.
So far, scientists have been able to achieve efficiency of just 5%, but they intend to at least double this figure before it hits the solar market.
Another member of the research team, Wei Wang, said: “We produced [chalcopyrite] CIGS solar cells using cheap inkjet printing under normal conditions.
“Some of the materials we want to work with for the most advanced solar cells, such as indium, are relatively expensive.
“If that’s what you’re using you can’t really afford to waste it, and the inkjet approach almost eliminates the waste.”
While this technology is still being developed, solar panels are available and can be installed on the roof of your home. You will then reap all the benefits of using a renewable energy source.