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tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,979

How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

This topic is inspired by a discovery posted by Void ...

And this may fit into the situation: (link failed) I'll try to find it again.
Quote:
New Material Harnesses Wasted Light to Make Solar Panels More Efficient
Scientists have developed a glass-ceramic material that can convert ultraviolet light into visible light, significantly increasing solar panel efficiency. The material also protects next-generation solar cells from degradation under strong light, with applications in both terrestrial and space industries.

We had a topic on how to clean solar panels.

This one is more about how to design them to capture more energy from photons.

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,979

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members over time.

Post #3 contains a report on "spherical solar collectors" ...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 38#p224838

The post at the link below contains data about solar radiation arriving at Earth at LEO and on the surface:
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 49#p224849

The figures are reported to include the full spectrum of radiation.

(th)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,257

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

Wanted to see the link but its gives an error not finding the article.

Tech company unveils tiny spheres that outperform solar panels using both sun and artificial light — and the company says they could hit 60 times the current capacity

Tech company unveils tiny spheres that outperform solar panels using both sun and artificial light — and the company says they could hit 60 times the current capacity

created tiny globes — from a little more than an inch to nearly 4 inches in size — that can harness both sunlight and artificial light to make electricity, according to the manufacturer.

The spheres, which resemble tiny Death Stars (or, perhaps for a more niche Star Wars reference, normal-sized training remotes), are 30 times smaller than solar panels, with 7.5 times the output. Astoundingly, she said they are more than 200 times more efficient.

kbd512

Administrator

Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,583

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

This is more marketing nonsense for people who believe "electricity = magic".  Both their video and claims are straight nonsense.  If a garden variety solar panel is 25% efficient at converting photonic energy from the Sun into electrical energy, that means it generates about 250W/m^2 in full sunlight at high noon.  If this "solar sphere" is 200X more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity, does that means it generates 50,000W/m^2?  The Sun is only delivering 1,360W^2 at the top of the atmosphere.  This is either a not-so-clever scam intended to transfer money from not-so-smart people to the pockets of these scammers, or they invented a solar powered perpetual motion machine.  I'll leave it to our readers to determine which one it is.

Void

Member

Registered: 2011-12-29

Posts: 7,323

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

(th), In reference to post #1:  The original link I had has been damaged, but in this revised post a new version is existing: https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 20#p224820

The link is in here:

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/sola … 73236.html
Quote:

Tech
Solar panel breakthrough harnesses wasted light to boost efficiency
Transparent layer converts UV to visible light, while also providing protection for the solar cell

Anthony Cuthbertson
Thursday 04 January 2024 15:14 GMT

I recalled it was first posted about China anyway, so I guess this may do.

Done

Last edited by Void (Today 05:03:43)

---

Done.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,979

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

For kbd512 re Void's reporting of rather surprising performance of new device...

At first reading, your skepticism certainly seems justified.

I don't have time to investigate further, but one question does occur to me ... There is a quantity of energy that is often quoted for photons delivered to the vicinity of LEO and then another for the surface of the Earth.  What I'm wondering is: What is the spectrum range that is included in that number?  It is possible that the range considered for the number (whatever it is) may be limited to visible light.

The corollary (and I do NOT know the answer) is that the total quantity of photon energy delivered to a square meter at LEO or Earth may be greater than the number often quoted, if the number often quoted is just for visible light.

I'm hoping someone in the NewMars membership has the time to investigate this.

I'll be putting in a long day, so hope there is a member with a few minutes to spare to look into this.

It would ** also ** help if someone has the time to ready the actual reference Void provided, and report a summary here.

Still, having said all that, I agree that kbd512's skepticism seems justified.

(th)

kbd512

Administrator

Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,583

Re: How to Improve Performance of Solar Panels

tahanson43206,

Of the light that reaches Earth's surface, infrared radiation makes up 49.4% of while visible light provides 42.3%. Ultraviolet radiation makes up just over 8% of the total solar radiation.

If total solar irradiance is 1,000W/m^2, then:
494W - visible spectrum
423W - IR spectrum
80W - UV spectrum

Edit:
"Total Solar Irradiance" (TSI) = "all photonic energy received from the Sun"
TSI at Top-of-Atmosphere (TOA) = 1,361W/m^2

Last edited by kbd512 (Today 07:12:38)