Mechanical engineers at Arizona States University expect to raise the efficiency of the solar power cells as well as profitability with assistance from nanotechnology. The current photovoltaic (PV) solar panels can only absorb a small portion of sunlight for converting which the rest is transformed into heat energy, stated by Robert Taylor, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Arizona State University. Due to this reason, he and his colleagues decided to invent the solar thermal collectors for better performance. They have included graphite nano-particles, which are black, into the oils of solar thermal collectors to increase the efficiency of collecting the heat for steam turbines. Why did they choose this substance, not other black substances? It is due to its pitch-blackness and cheapness.
In my point of view, with more efficiency in collecting the solar energy, many benefits can be drawn from the solar panels. For example, massive land used for solar panels could be decreased for different usage. Furthermore, the more renewable energy we use, the better our climate will be.
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405081910.htm
Nanoparticles Improve Solar Collection Efficiency, this topic is extreme interesting. We can know one more step further that solar could work. I agree on your view because it will reduce the massive land used for solar energy while we still use solar energy but with small amount of place. Moreover, we can see the reasonable that they use graphite nano-particles, which are black into oils of solar, the reason its pitch-blackness and cheapness. I kind of appreciate this topic. Good topic!
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