Vad händer
Kontext
PV-Leaf är en kombination av fotovoltaiska celler (solceller), bambu och hydrogel vilket är mer effektivt än vanliga solceller. Saltvattnet som kyler ner cellen avdunstar och kan sedan användas som färskvatten.
PV cells can only harvest a select portion of the solar spectrum. Left unused, the energy that cannot be absorbed by PV cells dissipates as waste heat, increasing the cells’ operating temperature. As the cells get warmer, they become even less effective and tend to “age” quicker.
Extreme Tech: ‘Solar Leaf’ Concept Said to Harvest 13% More Sun Than Standard Solar Cells
This “solar leaf” cell harvests 13.2% more electricity than a standard PV solar cell by cooling the cell with branched-out fibers passing water through it. Warm water can then be used for thermal energy. Salty water also evaporates to make pure water.
Vad har det för betydelse
Trees and other plants use transpiration to move water from their roots to their leaves, cooling themselves while protecting essential functions like photosynthesis. In the researchers’ concept, stacked hydrogel cells and bamboo fibers passively drive water from a water tank to the solar cell. The branched-out design of the fibers allows the water to cool the entire cell. This cooling method mitigates up to 75% of the sun’s warming effect, preventing the PV-leaf from losing effectiveness due to operating temperature increases. As a result, the PV-leaf can harvest up to 13.2% more sun than a conventional solar cell.
Extreme Tech: ‘Solar Leaf’ Concept Said to Harvest 13% More Sun Than Standard Solar Cells
I nyheterna
- Feber: Ny solpanel inspirerad av löv Skapar både energi och vatten
- The Next Web: This PV-leaf can harness more power than standard solar panels
- Extreme Tech: ‘Solar Leaf’ Concept Said to Harvest 13% More Sun Than Standard Solar Cells
- Nature Communications: High-efficiency bio-inspired hybrid multi-generation photovoltaic leaf
- Bildkälla: löv
