How much power can one actually get out of sunshine? That’s a good question, and lately, it seems as though we are pushing the limits, or at least raising them. #Insolight is a company that has come up with a new and improved approach to #solar cells. Sure, the proven methods of utilizing #solar cells and #solar panels have been effective, but there is always room for progress and development. There is a clear goal across the globe to lessen our carbon footprint, to save money, and to keep our planet clean by taking advantage of renewable #energy, such as solar power. Insolight is about to shake things up.
What is Insolight?
Insolight is a company that aims for simplicity and reliability, according to their website. The company has the goal of essentially concentrating sunlight on a smaller solar cell. Their outlook is very positive: when it comes to solar energy, the belief is that sunlight can be concentrated into one place. This consequently enables savings in terms of materials, while making solar cells themselves even more affordable. If this sounds like a win-win, that’s because it is!
Insolight employs ground-breaking technology in the sense that sunlight is redirected toward the concentrator, which can be mounted in the same way as traditional solar panels. The result? Inexpensive solar electricity costs.
Generally speaking, solar cells collect sunlight and convert electricity at less than 20 percent efficiency. At the end of the day, roughly 85 percent of energy is lost in the conversion process. Efficient cells are typically very expensive, which is a problem many find themselves facing – high costs.
In a nutshell, Insolight wants to see solar cells become more efficient by working to concentrate sunlight. This will save money all around, too.
How Will the Innovative Process Work?
Efficient cells are set down on a grid. Above the grid, you will find a lens array that fundamentally bends light into a slender beam which is only concentrated on the small cells. As you know, the sun doesn’t stay in one place – so as it moves, so does the cell layer. This keeps the beams on the proper mark. Insolight has demonstrated up to 37 percent efficiency overall in terms of testing, as well as 30 percent efficiency in designs for individual consumers. In comparison to typical solar panels, this is twice the power. Below, you will find a little bit more detail about this process, as it is quite interesting and certainly worth explaining.
To elaborate, the cell array that has been developed will essentially shift each day only by a few millimeters in order to track the sun. Everything is enclosed in a thin module, comparable to traditional solar panels. This offers protection to mechanical parts. This innovative product has the same look as traditional solar panels and it can be mounted with ease on both the ground and rooftops.
Lab results suggest that a more efficient version of solar cells can be manufactured at a low enough cost for commercial usage, and efficacy can be tweaked over time.
Without a doubt, this solar endeavor brings some complication to present-day mass-manufactured arrays that might be adequate, but could be better. Worth noting is the fact that the new solar panels don’t differ in shape or size, as touched upon, nor do they necessitate the utilization of specialized hardware. The tests being run are demonstrating that these #hyper-efficient solar panels are very effective.
According to Insolight’s CTO, #Mathieu Ackermann, the solar panels have been continually monitored and worked through winter weather, heat waves and even storms. This means the solar approach is effective even on days when the sun is hidden by clouds.
Insolight is currently working with solar panel manufacturers, in an effort to integrate this amazing technology with existing strategies.
Continue to follow solar news, as Insolight panels are anticipated to hit the market in the next two years. In 2022, you can expect some cool changes, to say the least!
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Photo Source: techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/panels_summer_1280x720.jpg
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