Top Solar Power Technology Innovations in 2016 7

Innovations in technology is helping in increased usage of solar energy, as the potential of solar power is endless. Innovations are making solar energy more accessible, cheaper, powerful and effective than costly polluting fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, coal. The huge increase in adoption solar power has resulted price of solar products especially solar panels, dropping by as much as 70% since 2009. However, there is a lack of trained/skilled professionals who can install, maintain, repair solar products is hampering the adoption of solar power products, mostly in developing countries where high initial cost is still a dampener. As such countries like India are laying down guidelines for developing skilled solar power product professionals. Innovative products can give boost to adoption of low cost solar power for use in variety of purposes, at fraction of existing cost if mass production is made a reality with economic viability.

1. Printable Solar Panels

While solar panels are made of silicon, solar inks can be printed on rolls of plastic up to A3 size. The solar ink can be applied by spray coating and screen printing. Though research work was out by 2014 but 2016 has seen a humungous growth in interest in printable solar panels; especially in countries like India where brining down the cost of solar power installation is of much importance. The lightweight, low-cost and flexible solar ink can be applied on variety of devices; including windows to smartphones to computers. Printable solar panels have been developed by researchers at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, (CSIRO) Australia. Only problem is the efficiency of printable solar panel compared to silicon-based devices.

2. Solar-powered Water Pumps

Drought, lack of potable water, disease, climate change can result in compounding the water problem for people. While solar powered pumps have been around for a while, but the new type of innovative solar-powered water pumps that have been developed can help people get access to freshwater. These pumps, powered by solar powered panels, can help draw up to 30,000 litres of water every day from a hole 100 meter or over 330 feet underground.

3. Solar Panels Inspired by Kirigami

Solar panels track the movement of sun to capture sunlight. But these solar panels are cumbersome, heavy, expensive and can be used only in certain cases. But solar panels designs inspired by Kirigami, the Japanese art of paper cutting could be the answer to the problem. The solar panel designed by paper artists like Matt Shlian, Max Shtein, the University of Michigan created a solar panel where individual elements tilt and move around each other when pulled. These flexible solar panels could be easier to install than conventional solar panels, and can be made from cheaper lightweight materials, making power generation 35% more efficient than traditional stationary solar panels. Though developed in mid to late 2015 these solar panels can revolutionize solar energy in 2016.

4. Solar Powered Streetlight That Fights Dengue

Researchers in Malaysia have created solar powered streetlight that not only combats climate changes; but also helps fight mosquito-borne diseases like dengue. The solar powered LED streetlight is a hybrid, built using a solar panel and a wind turbine. When the solar charged LED light glows at night mosquitos get attracted towards the light as it emits CO2. As per Dr. Chong Wen Tong the CO2 released is relatively low and outstrips benefits solar energy provides. A fan then prevents the mosquito from escaping. The researchers hope that these unique street lights could help to prevent dengue fever, a sometimes killer mosquito-borne disease that is prevalent throughout Asia. These street lights last longer than traditional street lights, but are costly and may become viable if cost comes down.

5. Solar Battery Technology

Elon Musk recently launched solar batteries made by SolarCity that could change the way energy is used and cut down the use of costly and polluting fossil fuels. SolarCity is a sister company of Tesla and is offering these solar batteries at prices that is 60% less than previous solar power batteries, allowing more people to make use of solar power.

6. Eliodomestico Solar Still

Eliodomestico Solar Still is a solar terracotta water filter system that can be used to distill 5 litres of water in a day. As per Gabriele Diamanti, who developed the water filter system, the system was developed to provide fresh and clean drinking water to people from developing nations who still don’t have access to it. The Eliodomestico system converts seawater into fresh drinking water using solar power. The seawater is poured into the top of the terracotta structure, as sun’s rays heat the water, it creates pressure, forcing the steam to go through a tube connected to a watertight compartment, where condensation creates potable water inside the collection compartment. This type of solar water purifier can revolutionalize access to water for communities in the developing world, where it is scarce.

7. Solar Leaf

The Solar Leaf developed by professors at MIT, is made of a thin silicon solar cell; which is dropped in water to separate hydrogen and oxygen molecules, turning them into electricity by connecting them to fuel cells. Solar Leaf uses a process similar to photosynthesis that is carried out by a real plant leaf that converts water and sunlight into energy. Essentially, a solar leaf placed around 1 litre water can produce up to 100 watts of energy per day. However, the cheap solar leaf is not as efficient as other emerging solar technologies. But still cheap prices make solar leaf a suitable lighting solution for nations where high cost associated with initial installation of solar energy products is a dampener.

8. Infrared Solar Panels

A group of MIT researchers have developed a solar panel technology that captures not just direct visible sunlight, but infrared light as well. This technology is based on a transparent carbon-based solar panel that dramatically increases its application potential. A transparent infrared solar panel means it can be layered on glass, everyday surfaces and even on top of existing solar panels, increasing efficiency of solar panel considerably. The technology can be a boon for poor developing nations where demand for cleaner energy is growing steadily. Still in the development phase, infrared solar panels can help cut the need for using high cost and polluting fossil fuels.

These innovative solar products can be ideal for developing countries like India, where there is a lack of skilled solar power professional; there are still areas that are outside the power grid. If mass produced these innovative solar power products can cost less and can be easily accessible to more people.