Scientists Develop Affordable Solar Panels That Work In The Dark

[Carrel]

I'm sorry, but no. I work for a company that has the cornerstone for the solar market. We've invented the dual & triple junction cell, sent them to Mars, even to an asteroid. You can NOT convert 100% of light to energy, simple matter of physics. Ours are are up to 40%, which is still a world wide record. Anyone who says that they've done the same have bought their wafers from us (especially the Germans). That whole article says 'It would be nice if...." and not much more. Gallium Arsenide has been our staple for over ten years, and believe me, even though there are many idiots at my company, there are a few who are developing better cells day by day.

Triple junctions work on the principle of multiple wavelengths, from UV down to IR. Originally, our gallium cells were called single junction, because they only converted one part of the spectrum into energy. They get better as time goes on, and our quads should be showing up soon.

Seraphim, how big of a solar array would it take to power a conventional home? I'd heard a football field sized array several years ago, has that changed much?

[Vudak]

Seraphim, how big of a solar array would it take to power a conventional home? I'd heard a football field sized array several years ago, has that changed much?

I'm curious too because I've started to see many more homes with solar panels on them and I'm wondering when they'll see a return on the investment.

[curry1]

I'm curious too because I've started to see many more homes with solar panels on them and I'm wondering when they'll see a return on the investment.

It is something crazy like 20 years but they-raise the resell.  I don't fully understand why people on their house's either.

[grizz441]

I'm sorry, but no. I work for a company that has the cornerstone for the solar market. We've invented the dual & triple junction cell, sent them to Mars, even to an asteroid. You can NOT convert 100% of light to energy, simple matter of physics. Ours are are up to 40%, which is still a world wide record. Anyone who says that they've done the same have bought their wafers from us (especially the Germans). That whole article says 'It would be nice if...." and not much more. Gallium Arsenide has been our staple for over ten years, and believe me, even though there are many idiots at my company, there are a few who are developing better cells day by day.

Triple junctions work on the principle of multiple wavelengths, from UV down to IR. Originally, our gallium cells were called single junction, because they only converted one part of the spectrum into energy. They get better as time goes on, and our quads should be showing up soon.

Break even much?

[Belial]

My brother tf15pin is working on panels that are more efficient at PSU...basically their taking the way a fly eye works and captures light, making a dye out of many of them...with thin film coating and creating the panel.
Its ground breaking stuff and he was on CNN talking about it recently....



http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/08/11/nr.fly.solar.power.cnn?

My brothers the white guy lol...hes doing most of the work and the Indian guy is his adviser...advisers somehow get the credit lol...

I got a feeling this is going to be huge soon.

[bj229r]

Break even much?

They don't break even from the law of supply vs demand, they break even from government tax subsidies. Would ANY solar panel companies (residential installation side) even be in business were it not for tax subsidies?

[Seraphim]

Unfortunately, our cells are still pretty darn expensive; so they mostly bought by governments & such. For home size stuff, we are starting to make concentrators (terrestrial), which basically cuts a cell into a small 2x2cm square, with a round lens, and huge mirrors to concentrate the light.... still expensive, but a bit more lasting...

Ultimately, it's not economical to buy our stuff (yet), unless you have a huge piece of land, which is the case for any solar power system, but it does pay off in the long run.

Let me put it this way: any current solar cell manufacturer, which most likely is silicon based, will have a efficiency of up to 18%. Ours, are up to 40%. But our cost per cell is nearing the cost of the silicon. Most gallium manufacturers get their wafers from us.

And, no, grizz, we don't break even much, we have layoffs every other year. Australia bailed out on a huge contract last year, cost us millions.

[camnite]

any idea when they might become a financially viable source of power seraphim? If i do use solar it be to run the a/c in these long summer months down south

[Belial]

Unfortunately, our cells are still pretty darn expensive; so they mostly bought by governments & such. For home size stuff, we are starting to make concentrators (terrestrial), which basically cuts a cell into a small 2x2cm square, with a round lens, and huge mirrors to concentrate the light.... still expensive, but a bit more lasting...

Ultimately, it's not economical to buy our stuff (yet), unless you have a huge piece of land, which is the case for any solar power system, but it does pay off in the long run.

Let me put it this way: any current solar cell manufacturer, which most likely is silicon based, will have a efficiency of up to 18%. Ours, are up to 40%. But our cost per cell is nearing the cost of the silicon. Most gallium manufacturers get their wafers from us.

And, no, grizz, we don't break even much, we have layoffs every other year. Australia bailed out on a huge contract last year, cost us millions.

read my post above^ these cells should be even more efficient.

[dedalos]

I think if Seraphim says it is impossible, someone should call those European idiots and tell them to not waste their time.  I mean, the guy works for a company that makes solar panels.  He knows!

Nothing funnier than people saying something is impossible    Especially when the reason given is "well, someone I know could not do it, so it can't be done" 

[tf15pin]

All he said that was impossible was the 100% conversion of sun-light to electrical energy. The only people who disagree with that are physics trolls or crackpots.

[dedalos]

All he said that was impossible was the 100% conversion of sun-light to electrical energy. The only people who say impossible are physics trolls or crackpots.

That 100% conversion of light to electrical energy does not make any sense.  What is the definition of sun light?  What frequencies?  Would a cheap 99.99% be better than his expensive 40%? 

[MarineUS]

What made me laugh was the "Since my company hasn't made anything like it - it can't exist." type phrase.

Granted I'm no specialist, nor do I claim to be. I just find the arrogance of that statement laughable.

[F22RaptorDude]

I'm curious too because I've started to see many more homes with solar panels on them and I'm wondering when they'll see a return on the investment.

If I recall correctly those are used to heat the water in homes. Though I'm sure a majority do produce electricity. I'm just going off what I read in books.

[bj229r]

The return on the investment is often longer than folks live on the home, and without taxpayer money pushing the industry, probably not even then