As far as our limited capacities are concerned, the sun is essentially an infinite and renewable energy source. It’s like a giant fusion reactor millions of miles away, illuminating the earth with as much energy as the whole of human civilization uses in a year! So, why aren’t we making more use of such a boundless source to solve all our energy-related problems?
Well, we’re actually pretty close to getting there, and in today’s video, I will show you how!

Solar photovoltaic panels are currently limited to a maximum efficiency of about 30%, and in practice only actually achieve about 20% to 23% efficiency. Now a team in Cambridge has developed a film that can amplify the number of photons that the panel can use, with a potential increase in efficiency to as much as 35%. So how do they do that?

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Interested in mastering and remembering the concepts that I present in my videos? Check out the FREE Dive Deeper mini-courses offered by the Center for Behavior and Climate. These mini-courses teach the main concepts in select JHAT videos and go beyond to help you learn additional scientific or conservation concepts. The courses are great for teachers to use or for individual learning.https://climatechange.behaviordevelopmentsolutions.com/just-have-a-think-jhat

Research Links

Nature Article
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01673-w

Cambridge Photon Technology website

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zentouro:
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https://www.youtube.com/user/ClimateAdam

Kurtis Baute:
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Sarah Karvner:
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Rollie Williams / ClimateTown: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuVLG9pThvBABcYCm7pkNkA

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Beckisphere: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT39HQq5eDKonaUV8ujiBCQ

Our Changing Climate :
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Perovskite solar cells might revolutionize how humans generate energy from sunlight.
https://brilliant.org/ElectricFuture
First 200 people get 20% off annual premium subscription.

In this video we’ll explore the world’s fastest improving new solar technology, and provide an exclusive peek inside the lab of a team working on this breakthrough material.

Imagine an inexpensive solution of perovskite crystals that can make a photovoltaic cell so thin, that just half a cup of liquid would be enough to power a house. A solar panel so lightweight, that it can be balanced atop a soap bubble. That is known as the holy grail of solar energy. So when will we see perovskite solar panels used for a solar power system for your home? Maybe sooner than you expect.

Currently, only 2% of global electricity comes from solar power. And 90% of that, comes from crystalline silicon-based solar panels, the dominant material technology.

While abundant, silicon has downsides related to efficiency, manufacturing complexity, and pollution that prevent it from being an absolute no brainer. Emerging thin films like perovskites present a bright future. Imagine solar cars like a solar tesla, solar yachts, or a solar plane.

Solar cell technologies can be classified into two categories, wafer-based or thin-film cells. Perovskites are the leading contender in emerging thin films. Topics covered in this video include applications, perovskite crystal structure, working principle of perovskite solar cells, efficiency limits, multi-junction solar cells, shockley-queisser limit, how solar works, solar simulator, band gap, manufacturing, vapor deposition, how solar panels are made, and the future of solar power.

Thanks:

Swift Solar – Efficient, lightweight solar power

https://www.youtube.com/animagraffs
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