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Solar panels
The sun is the source of all the energy and thus life in our solar system. It has fueled progress for billions of years and will continue to do so for billions more but only recently has mankind been able to effectively harness that energy with solar panels. Even with the most efficient solar panels ever made only a tiny fraction of that energy is harnessed but it is enough to power entire cities as well as some more ambitious projects.
Of all the energy emitted from the sun, only a small percentage hits the earth, and an even smaller percentage gets through cloud cover and actually hits the ground, let alone a solar panel. As panels become more efficient, affordable and adaptable they begin to be feasible options for powering anything from vehicles to homes to huge manufacturing plants. This technology is rapidly developing and improving largely due to the increased cost of fossil fuels and the knowledge of what they do to the environment.
There are absolutely no downsides to producing power through photovoltaics other than the initial cost of setting up the solar array. The drawback to traditional silicone based panels is their high cost, difficulty in production and brittleness. They cannot be made very thin and have to have stable, protective casings to keep the valuable components dry and safe. Getting one of these heavy panels to track the sun for maximum power generating capabilities takes a lot of power in and of itself. These factors have begun to make people question the viability of this renewable resource.
Luckily there have plenty of new developments that are sure to lower the price of photovoltaic power and increase the amount of surfaces it can be applied to. One of the most promising developments has been the ability to print photovoltaic receptors onto flexible, clear film. The process is incredibly cheap, and although it does not have the efficiency of a silicone panel it can be applied to windows, siding, and roofs with no trouble and low cost. This greatly increases the amount of area that can generate electricity and makes efficiency a non-issue. Since the film is flexible it does not crack or become brittle which extends it working life much longer
Adaptations of this process have been developed into paint that can be applied to steel structures turning the entire exterior surface of a building into a semi-conductor that could easily power its own manufacturing, lighting, and possibly even local homes and businesses. Power is all around, harnessing it is the difficult part so don’t expect these methods to be widespread for a few years.
Interestingly enough, hair is an excellent conductor, almost on par with silicone but less than one millionth the cost. The pigment melanin, which gives hair its color, is photosensitive and acts as a good conductor of electricity. This is why when a balloon is rubbed on a person’s hair it sticks to their head and very little static electricity is lost. The only downside is that the hair has to be replaced every three years or so, but most people have a constant supply. These panels are already being built and tested and cost roughly $50 in raw material to make. That price is sure to go down if they begin to mass produce them.
The future of solar energy, solar panels and renewable resources is bright indeed, and one never knows when the next development will come.
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