Welcome back solar enthusiasts, in today’s blog we’ll delve into the exciting realm of indoor solar technology. With conventional solar array for home installations becoming increasingly common, it’s worth shifting our focus to an innovative advancement paving the way for a more integrated use of solar. Ambient Photonics, a pioneer among solar companies, recently unveiled its ground-breaking invention, the Low-Light Indoor Bifacial Solar Cell. Yes, you heard it right – solar cells that work efficiently in indoor lighting!
This cell, despite being under indoor light conditions, can simultaneously collect light from its front and back, a feature that empowers it to fuel remote controls and other similar low-energy devices. Ambient’s technology promises to produce up to thrice the power of regular photovoltaic technology, a monumental stride for the solar industry.
The unique solar cells are engineered through an industrial printing process, enabling them to be built in virtually any size or shape. Adopting a blend of proprietary energy harvesting molecules, the company has made it possible to install solar in diverse forms suited to your needs. Considering solar panels for your home? The high flexibility and efficiency of these cells provide an attractive option for homeowners.
Interestingly, these cells employ metal-free, synthetic organic dyes with adjustable electronic and optical properties. As a result, they perform exceptionally under any indoor light conditions, including compact fluorescent, halogen, LED, incandescent, or even in diffused or shaded natural light. By harnessing ambient light for power, these cells are intended to replace batteries in devices, potentially resulting in lighter and smaller products.
This exciting innovation means that solar power, traditionally involved in powering low-energy electronics like calculators or toys, can now be effectively used in mass-market devices. The invention indeed paints a promising future for solar technology.
The cells harvest light from two sides to leverage more power. According to Ambient reports, “The front side supplies the full power capacity known for Ambient cells. Conversely, the rear side contributes at least half of the energy that the front side does.”
One might wonder, how can solar companies produce these innovative cells in large quantities? Ambient Photonics operates from a specialized 43,000-square-foot manufacturing facility capable of fabricating tens of millions of these innovative solar cells annually. The production process is completely automatized, signifying that these cells can be printed in almost any shape or size.
Amid the expanding consumer demand for efficient solar solutions, Ambient Photonics seeks to establish a second smart manufacturing facility next year.
The possibilities for this technology are rampant. From remotes to wireless keyboards, items once dependent on batteries could instead leverage the power from ambient light in your home. As advancements like these continue, choosing a solar company and installing solar panels for your home becomes an increasingly appealing and viable investment.
Stay tuned to the blog for more updates on solar tech innovations – as both a solar enthusiast and a blogger, I can’t wait to see where our solar journey takes us next!
Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/01/04/indoor-bifacial-solar-cell-technology-at-ces-2024/
