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December 24, 2007

Nano Flakes Could Make PV More Efficient

Copenhagen, Denmark [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

A new material, nano flakes, may help drive the solar energy industry into the future. Dr. Martin Aagesen, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen and director of SunFlake Inc. is currently developing the technology which takes advantage of crystalline structures to absorb more sunlight than traditional solar photovoltaic (PV) cells.

"I discovered a perfect crystalline structure. That is a very rare sight. While being a perfect crystalline structure we could see that it also absorbed all light. It could become the perfect solar cell."

--Dr. Martin Aagesen, Director, SunFlake Inc.

Dr. Aagesen believes that the nano flakes have the potential to convert up to 30 percent of solar energy into electricity because the nano flakes also reduce the distance energy has to travel in the cell. These cells would also use smaller amounts of semiconducting silicium making them less expensive than the PV cells currently available.

"I discovered a perfect crystalline structure. That is a very rare sight. While being a perfect crystalline structure we could see that it also absorbed all light. It could become the perfect solar cell," said Dr. Aagesen.
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Reader Comments (10)
 
No image available
December 24, 2007
The company says its nanotechnology silicon platform will cut current solar technology costs by a factor of ten. The majority of solar energy cells are made from silicon wafers, which are costly and time consuming to produce. The printing method is faster and wastes less material.
Comment 1 of 10
No image available
December 24, 2007
This sounds similar to work done by Innovalight. Calculations at NREL by Mark Hanna and Nozik have shown that the maximum theoretical efficiency of quantum dot solar cells exhibiting optimal MEG is about 44% with normal unconcentrated sunlight and 68% with sunlight concentrated by a factor of 500 with special lenses or mirrors.
Reference: (http://www.innovalight.com/pdf/NREL_INNOVALIGHT%20PRESS%20RELEASE.pdf)
Comment 2 of 10
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December 24, 2007
This is a very important development, as it avoids many of the complexities in previous high-performance cells.
I wonder if it is seen as for use in concentrated solar, or as is?
Comment 3 of 10
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December 26, 2007
Silicon cells are used for concentrating applications, however, they are not as efficient or as heat tolerant as certain other types of more exotic cells such as Galium Arsenide, and will require heat sinks to radiate away unwanted heat, particularly at higher concentration ratios. What's more, Silicon P.V becomes less efficient with rising temperature, so concentration ratio will need to take this into account.

Note also, that any concentrating system can only concentrate direct sunlight, so will have little or no effect in cloudy conditions.
Comment 4 of 10
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December 28, 2007
The government hasn't the ability to make change; it's simply too big and too tied to big energy. As technologies unfurl before our government, they will have no choice but to accept and probably even mandate the use of upcoming technologies for national security reasons; if not, so that politicians can keep their' pretty jobs and "appear to be green candidates."

Change will come from the small institutional investor who creates the capital effect for burgeoning businesses that will sustain our infrastructure into the next century and ultimately the next millenium.

"The People,...by the People For the People" will always make the difference,...always have and always will.
All the Best,...Happy New Year!
Comment 5 of 10
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December 28, 2007
Dear Friends,

All companies need to "prove work hardness" before going to licensing, etc. A proven product brings in revenues at a much higher rate and allows the companies with newer technology to prove worthiness to banks, lenders and all "that jazz".

Eventually, two or three technologies will merge; like perhaps the Quantum Dot merging with NanoFlake technology for example. Let the technology evolve,...be time tested and then buy as much stock as you can buy. Why?

Buying technology stocks now is good business for all: it allows one to participate in the momentum created by high fuel prices, people's ubiquitous reactions to the growing realization that energy choices MUST increase, etc.
Comment 6 of 10
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December 28, 2007
How does all this relate to Nanosolar Inc. in California who claim to have commenced production of their "printed" nanosolar panels? www.nanosolar.com

They don't claim any increased efficiency but say that their panel will (uh... eventually) reduce the price per watt to below $1.

If that is true, then why don't they license the technology to remp up production? What seems to be determining the price per watt at the moment is the fact that most factories currently have their order books full until mid to end '08. Why discount when you're flat out??
Comment 7 of 10
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December 31, 2007
I got no money to invest ,I am a pensioner ,I will still gladly pay extra for clean energy,it needs to be mandated and all polluting industrys SHUTDOWN in the next 10 years.All coal fired powered stations need to be made illegal under some form of U.N based enforcement agency.This has to be treated with the urgency of an imminent world war ,thus speeding up the process of implementing an across the board low carbon emmission industrial revolution.
Comment 8 of 10
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January 2, 2008
Cheaper is what we need here to get the homes to convert to solar.  Yeah!!!!!!!
Comment 9 of 10
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January 7, 2008

It is an exciting era, but we have to make sure of the technologies.  We have the ability to find, build, and install in this country, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water.  We will need back-up sources until more new tecnologies can take over.

Our main problem in the world is the pollution from Asia.  We are receiving Gobi Desert sand in the collection box on Donner Summit, CA and the Gobi is now half of China, add to this the simple fact there are 6700 coal mines on fire in China. And here in the US we have the Corps of Engineers, who have yet to build a successful project.  They built a channel straight into the Gulf of Mexico that erroded the Delta and it now draws water from the Mississippi River that is draining the northern basins.  We have to curtail govt interference and wake up the politicians to get up off their butts and do something for the country rather than make themselves look good.


Comment 10 of 10
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