Solar Trading News

There is a new technology emerging that uses solar panels made from plant dyes, or dye-sensitised cells.

This uses the same technology as plants to create energy from the sun. (Known as photosynthesis.)

These panels take less (coal) energy to produce than silicon cells, making them even more attractive ecologically. They are also cheaper, partially because silicon takes a lot of energy to extract.

These solar cells can take advantage of much larger range of sunlight - in the way plants do. This means they have the potential to be used in low light situations.

They are also transluscent, which gives them an interesting range of applications. Possibly windows and skylights in the future will be solar cells as well.

However, dye solar panels are less efficient (right now) than silicon solar panels. This is the challenge scientists are currently working to overcome. Solar plant dye is an interesting technology, that may in fact become a major player in the solar energy market.

Links: New Zealand People Imitate Plants to do Solar Panels on the Cheap