Researchers Invent Double-Glazed Solar Power Device
New opportunities to create advanced photovoltaics have been created by a team of scientists who have developed a ‘double-glazing’ solar power device. Researchers at Warwick University have made a device that collects solar energy using gas from double-glazed windows. This opens up the possibility that people could one day power their homes with their own windows. If you are looking for traditional solar panels on your roof your may want to contact a Gloucester Roofer at sires like http://gloucester-roofer.co.uk/ to ensure your roofing is stable enough to take the panels themselves.
The new device collects solar energy by using gas instead of vacuum to collect electricity. The developers are Dr Yorck Ramachers and Dr Gavin Bell, and the pair have used what is in effect a double-glazed window to collect the solar energy.
Window Photocathode
The secret lies in the outer pane, which conducts electricity. There is also an inner window, which acts as the photocathode. It is coated with a substance which becomes a source of electrons when it receives sunlight.
The whole process is inspired by early 20th-century ideas. However, the two panes of glass are separated by gas in the same way that panes are separated in double glazing. The gas is inert and totally safe. When the sun lands on the panes, the electrons created are bounced through the glass without being absorbed.
Double-Glazing Solar Power
This interesting new development means the windows act in a totally new way to existing solar panels. This opens up the opportunities for regular houses to be fitted with this type of window to create energy. It is also possible to vary the transparency of the photocathode, which means that tinted windows could also potentially generate solar power.
In the future it is likely that window companies would be able to fit double-glazed windows with this solar power option. This would mean that the renewable energy option would become available to more people and at prices that are suitable for most households. This is especially important as the country moves towards becoming as eco friendly as possible.
The researchers are currently seeking the right material for the device, and one potential candidate is diamond film. The scientists are open to suggestions from the wider scientific community about the optimum material. So this device is still in development, but it looks promising that a new phase in solar energy is on its way.
