Nanotechnology for Energy - Solar

The efficiency of a solar cell depends on how much of the available spectrum of light it can absorb (the rest is simply reflected or lost as heat), and how effectively it converts this energy into electricity.

The problems with current methods are the expense of material and relatively low efficiency. This means that solar energy is several times more expensive than energy derived from burning fossil fuels.

New nanomaterials have a higher efficiency than silicon used in existing solar panels. Nanotechnology can also offer new applications such as flexible panels.

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