Much like making hay, the best time
to produce solar energy is when the sun shines. Researchers in China have discovered
that by using graphene; energy from solar panels is possible even when it's
raining.
Graphene is essentially a one-atom
thick layer of carbon, arranged in a honeycomb like structure. It is
essentially graphite that is only one atom thick. Graphite, being able to
conduct electricity, lends graphene the ability to do the same.
Researchers at Ocean University of
Qingdao in China used a modified dye-sensitised solar cell, a thin, film-type
solar panel, with a layer of graphene on top. When they simulated rain using
salty water, they were able to generate electricity. What happened was that
when the salty water hit the surface of the solar panels, the ionised salt
particles in the water (ammonium, sodium and calcium, which are positively
charged) were separated from the water to produce electricity.
The tests resulted in a 6.53 percent
energy conversion — dye-sensitised solar cells, which were used in this
experiment, have an efficiency of about 14.1 percent. While this isn't much, it is
still very promising as the technology is merely a proof of concept and still
has a long way to go in terms of development. Meanwhile, the researchers
believe this will definitely help in the evolution of solar panels.
As rainwater isn't inherently salty
and comes mixed with a variety of other ions, the future course of action for
this technology is to figure out how to generate electricity in situations
closer to what we experience in real life.
Original Post: NR
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