Tuesday, July 9, 2013

World's thinnest solar cell developed by MIT

A team of researchers at MIT have developed a technique to create very thin solar cells which are two molecules thick.  Even though this kind of solar cell offer conversion efficiency of only 1 or 2 percent, it is possible to increase the overall capacity by placing multiple cells on top of other as compared to conventional cells.

For more details please read article on "MIT produces world's thinnest solar cell".

Monday, July 8, 2013

Tips and Tricks for every Solar Energy User

We all know that Solar Energy has  changed the lives of millions of people around the world.  The people who already started using solar energy to power their homes are already seeing the financial rewards of their investment.  Here are some tips to use solar energy efficiently.


  • Solar Panels : There are two types of Solar Panels available in the market.  Mono-crystalline solar panels are more efficient and also more expensive.  Poly-crystalline panels are cheaper and produce less electricity.  It is better to purchase the most efficient panels even though the cost is a little bit higher.
  • Always keep the solar panels clean.  The dirtier they get, the less efficient the solar panels in generating power.  It is true that rain and wind often take care of cleaning of panels but you should also some times clean the solar panels to get more output from them.
  •  The next point to keep in mind is that of the shade issues while installing solar panels. A solar panel which loses a quarter of its light can lose half of its power production.  If any trees are growing between solar panels and sun light, try to trim them often.
  • Adjustable Panels :  While buying a solar system for your house, make sure that they can be easily adjustable.  The sun angle changes as seasons change.  So your panels need to be adjusted every three months or so. 
  • Warranty of solar panels : Always look into the warranty period of the solar panels that you are buying.  A quality solar panel should have at least 20 years of warranty. If you get lesser warranty for the panels, then you can think of buying from a different supplier.  It may cost a little more but it is worth to buy panels with more warranty.
  •  The Solar Energy system not only saves money, but it helps you to make money.  If your solar system produces more energy than required by you, you can then sell it to the local energy company in your area.  
  • If you have enough money and resources and space, then think of sun tracking panel system to generate solar power.  These sun tracking systems follow the sun as it moves during the day.  It costs more to install this kind of system but the additional energy produced will make your investment worth of it.