Graphene Vs Silicon Solar Panels

Although there is a slight reduction in power conversion efficiencies 16 4 with the graphene armor versus 17 5 without this is marginal next to the advantages the coating brings.

Graphene vs silicon solar panels.

Photovoltaic solar cells made of organic compounds would offer a variety of advantages over today s inorganic silicon solar cells. In addition graphene has a low. Laws of physics limit the maximum efficiency of silicon solar cells to 32. Studies have shown that doped graphene can change one absorbed photon of a few electrons which in practice means an increase in efficiency of solar panels.

The traditional silicon solar cells are more efficient as 14 watts of power will be generated from 1000 watts of sunlight where as only 1 3 watts of power can be generated from a graphene opv cell. Graphene based tandem solar cells almost double the efficiency of pure silicon. The ability to use graphene instead is making possible truly flexible low cost transparent solar cells that can turn virtually any surface into a source of electric power. Scientists have developed a new process to produce the required carbon films of the required thickness and quality.

Though the application of graphene in solar cells is only theoretical the potential outlined in the study is remarkable. With the appearance of graphene more resistant and more efficient graphene solar panels have appeared. Nanotech says that their graphene panel reaches a 92 efficiency compared to around 20 for large commercial silicon based pv panels and the cost per watt of their panel will be 0 55 cents compared to a us average of 3 26 for silicon pv panels. Solar cells made with graphene could offer 60 solar cell efficiency.

Transparent graphene electrodes could replace indium tin oxide in solar cells in the future making them cheaper and more efficient. But these opv cells more than compensate by having more advantages like physical flexibility and costing less.