MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO SOLAR PANELS
USING PEROVSKITE IN PLACE OF SILICON
Advantages
Will help lower the costs of solar panel production
Perovskite is made of a hybrid mixture of cheap organic and inorganic materials like iodine, lead, and methylammonium
Less solar energy will be lost in the conversion process from solar energy to electricity
Energy loss for silicon solar cells: 50%
Energy for perovskite solar cells: 30%
Disadvantage
Perovskite has a significantly lower thermal stability in comparison to silicon
Research has been done to improve thermal stability, but more experimentation is needed
USING CARBON NANOTUBES IN PLACE OF SILICON
Advantages
Will help decrease the size of solar cells
- Carbon nanotubes → less than 100 nm!
Lighter and more flexible in comparison to silicon solar cells
Will help lower costs of solar panel production
Don't contain expensive electrodes made of indium tin oxide or silver used to make silicon solar cells
Disadvantage
Carbon nanotube solar cells: 4-5% efficiency
Silicon solar cells: 15-17% efficiency