Researchers in England have devised a concept for a new type of solar panel they call a “solar leaf.” The technology is a hybrid, bio-inspired concept that features a leaf-like shape, the ability for transpiration, and can use extra thermal energy, allowing it to capture more sunlight than the average solar cells currently in use.
Tech. Entertainment. Science. Your inbox.
Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.
Email:
SIGN UP
By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and have reviewed the Privacy Notice.
The researchers believe this development could increase the solar leaf’s electrical output drastically compared to previous-generation solar panels. The new technology’s transpiration system is a major factor in its success. Transpiration is a system most commonly seen in plants, and it is used to move water from the roots of the plant to its leaves, allowing it to cool itself.
By mimicking this feature, the researchers believe that their solar leaf can passively cool itself. This cooling method helps to mitigate around 75 percent of the warming effect experienced from the Sun, which is a big part of how photovoltaic cells like those found in solar panels lose their efficiency over time. Because it doesn’t lose its effectiveness, the researchers say it can harvest up to 13. 2 percent more of the sun’s power than a conventional cell can.
Further, the solar leaf can also leverage its heat to produce fresh water and thermal energy, which the researchers hope could be used to power domestic space heating or even preheating for hot water. The solar leaf may also be easily adjusted to produce more freshwater, heat energy and electricity.
Of course, this is still just a concept. Full details on the solar leaf can be found in a paper published in Nature Communications. It’s not clear how soon we will see this concept in action. Other developments in solar power have helped create solar panels that generate electricity in the dark.
The post Researchers invented a ‘solar leaf’ that harvests 13% more energy from the Sun appeared first on BGR.
