Biomimicry Solar Panels

In such a solar plant an array of mirrors redirects the light to a central point where the rays are converted to electricity.

Biomimicry solar panels.

Until now solar power has been a daytime only energy source because storing extra solar energy for later use is prohibitively expensive and grossly inefficient. Practically the heliotropic solar panel could be useful in developing areas where motor based sun tracking panels are not affordable. Scientists from mit and rwth aachen looked at the geometric arrangement in sunflowers during their research to reduce the land use of concentrated solar power plants. Turns out some researchers at mit have used biomimicry to make a potentially huge breakthrough in developing next gen solar energy systems.

When the solar concentrator is placed next to a thin film solar panel the printed area reflects the uv light on the panel increasing the current produced. How they work is in through the use of small flexible solar cells which mimic leaves. Students drew this concept from research on traditional fluorescent solar concentrators which use luminescent paint to concentrate absorbed uv rays and emit at longer wavelengths. Plastic solar panels imitate photosynthesis.

Solar panels are usually made of. The researchers discovered that a design inspired by. Current sun tracking solar panels involve the use of motors and electronic control systems but we believe a biomimetic heliotropic solar panel can be created with the use of alternative materials and designs. By combining photovoltaic technology and piezoelectrics solar ivy s patent pending system continues innovation in the realm of biomimicry and it is a further challenge to our notions of the potential limits of solar power.

With today s announcement mit researchers have hit upon a simple inexpensive highly efficient process for storing solar energy.