The Future Of Solar Energy Involves Wood

Wood — one of the cheapest and best constructional materials around — could be coming soon to the future of solar technologies, and what does that mean? It means, solar panel financing and efficiency, is about to take a turn for the best. This is because researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology have recently developed a new transparent material that is sufficient for mass production, and made out of wood fibers.

 

Transparent Wood

The new solar cell material being referred to is a new kind of paper that is made of wood fibers. The paper is 96 percent transparent, with an optical haze of 60 percent, and has the capability of changing the next-generation of solar cells efficiency plus financing. The paper — formed from plants — has the advantage of overcoming “the tradeoff between optical transparency and optical haze that burdens most materials,” according to research from the Nano Letters. The material is said to be “ribbon-like” and has the ability to stack well and with high optical haze, higher than any other reported transparent elements.

 

A Great Solution

A reoccurring concern and challenge facing the future of solar technologies, has been finding materials to use that are environmentally friendly and efficient. For example, metal and plastic solar cells have been developed from a host of non-environmental friendly items, but the future of solar aims to create solar cell production at a green energy level and green production process. Utilizing wood fibers could just be the solution to this problem, and it’s not only cheap, but it is an environmentally friendly, renewable resource.

 

At Great Cost

Lastly, solar financing has also become a challenge because while solar use is growing in popularity, it is still quite expensive. However, these transparent wood fiber papers demonstrate higher optical transmittance while using less energy and processing time. This means, the material could offer a more inexpensive way to illuminate solar efficiency in terms or panels, roofs and windows. The future of solar power is in the making, and transparent wood fibers could be the next cost effective solution to our problems. 

Kristin Porter is a renewable energy writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Elements Capital Group. Follow on Twitter.