Research Promises Full-Spectrum Solar Cell

nphillips writes "As is being here reported here, a serendipitous discovery was made that a single system of alloys incorporating indium, gallium, and nitrogen can convert virtually the full spectrum of sunlight -- from the near infrared to the far ultraviolet -- to electrical current. For if solar cells can be made with this alloy, they promise to be rugged, relatively inexpensive -- and the most efficient ever created. Solar cells so efficient and so relatively cheap could revolutionize the use of solar power not just in space but on Earth."

Comments

Wow.

[Unknown Poltroon]

Better than 70% efficency, versus 25% for current solar cells. Ok, now im willing to accept solar might be feasable.

Light is light. (La laa laa la laaa)

[TheSHAD0W]

You're still converting one form of energy into another. That infrared would otherwise be radiating to other objects, increasing their entropy. The infrared produced is tiny compared to the total entropy of the object radiating it, so you could look at it as absorbing the small amount of spontaneous order generated from chaos.

In addition, as I said in the subject, light is light. If one frequency of light can be turned into energy, they all ought to be susceptible to the same concept, if not the same receiver.

Here's a question for you, and for everyone else: Would a solar cell continue to operate in an ambient temperature sufficient to generate that frequency in black-body radiation?

Re:Perpetual Motion Crackpot

[Cecil]

Because it's not a closed system. You're getting energy out of the earth's atmosphere and/or your house's heating system. Yes, that energy *is* gone. It's a teriffically tiny amount compared to the total amount of heat energy stored in even your walls, nevermind the atmosphere, but it's still gone.

The infrared energy emitted by the walls would normally hit one of the other walls and be absorbed, only to be emitted again. When it hits your solar panel, it's absorbed, but not emitted again. You may not think of a solar panel as a cooling device, but in fact it is, if it's turning infrared energy into electricity. It's absorbing the heat your walls emit and putting it into the battery. Given a completely sealed system, that closet would eventually cool off to the point where you would stop getting any energy out of it.

At least, that's my understanding. But hey, I could be wrong.

Don't get hung up on efficiency

[gbell]

For utility/residential applications, efficiency isn't very important since there's LOTS of roof area... you can use relatively inefficient technology. What really matters is $/Watt. How much do I have to spend to generate energy equivalent my house's usage?

~gb

Re:Orbital Manufacture - REALITY CHECK

[0x69]

The article noted that current-best solar cells are about 25% efficient, vs. 30% max. theoretical. How many percent more efficient are you figuring on the new solar cells being if space-made (vs. Earth-made)?

Check out the $billions$ that the dinky space station costs just to keep up. Ditto launch costs for your raw materials & totally unproven zero-grav solar cell factory equipment.

Now spread the extra costs of space-made solar cells out over the number of cells that you think will actually pass QC & reentry. Where do you see the high-volume market willing to pay the $HUGE$ price premium for a few percent better efficiency?

As gbell notes further down, efficiency doesn't mean too much, especially competing against fossil fuels. Cost per watt (call it financial efficiency) is what really matters.