Australian Company Improve Solar Power EfficiencySolar power efficiency is about to be boosted by an Australian solar energy start-up company named Xerocoat. Xerocoat has developed a new anti-reflective coating that will improve power output across all solar power technologies. At the moment, most solar cells are covered by glass. Glass reflects light and reflected light reduces the light available to make electricity. However, by coating the solar cells, the glass reflection decreases by 3% at midday, and by 6% on mornings and afternoons, claim the company. This could have huge benefits to large solar power plants whosr productivity would be greatly improved. The antireflective coating is made by single-layer porous silicon oxide, less than 100 nanometers thick. It meets the industry standard durability test IEC 61215 for crystalline silicon modules, according to the company. Xerocoat CEO Tom Hood admits the company isn't the only one in this field. America's Nanosolar are making waves with a similar product, as are Germany's Centrosolar and Danish Sunarc Technologies. But Hood points out that less than 5 percent of the photovoltaic industry uses antireflective coating today, in a market he estimates will be worth $1 billion in five years. So whichever company gets to the finish line first will be at the forefront of the solar revolution. For more information on this company go to
Xerocoat solar power efficiency.
To return to the main solar energy home page
|
