Perovskites – A New Emerging Solar Technology
Perovskites is a material that can be mixed with liquids and sprayed on surfaces. It is a calcium titanium oxide mineral composed of calcium titanate, with a crystalline structure that efficiently converts sunlight into energy. A perovskite solar cell is not only cheaper to manufacture but is also reporting an improvement in efficiency levels to 22.7% currently. Perovskite solar cells have thus become commercially attractive.
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Advantages & Disadvantages of Perovskites
Imagine instead of buying and installing solar panels, solar cells could be sprayed on any surface like walls, windows, cars, backpacks etc. to generate energy. This material has demonstrated high absorption coefficient and can be produced on a large scale with no observed degradation over one year. The process of manufacturing a perovskite solar cell is also less complex than that of traditional silicon solar cells. It is also a low-cost solar technology and could further revolutionize the global solar industry.
On the disadvantages side, the technology is still in a very nascent stage and industry is skeptical using it to replace the traditional silicon PV technology. Degradation and stability are other concerns.
The technology looks promising and few firms have also promised to launch thin-film perovskite solar cell commercially by the end of 2018. Perovskite was chosen as one of the top 10 emerging technologies of 2016 by the World Economic Forum. Though perovskite solar panels are not yet commercially viable, it is surely an emerging technology which firms are seriously considering. The research around the subject started way back in 2006 and in just a little over a decade the material has witnessed huge efficiency gains (more than 20%), which silicon cells took ages to achieve.
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