i see more and more papers these days about polymer solar cells with power conversion efficiencies over 10%... it feels like something is coming
"Polymer Solar Cells with 90% External Quantum Efficiency Featuring an Ideal Light- and Charge-Manipulation Layer"
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201706083/abstract
money quote from the abstract:
"Highly efficient single-junction PSCs for different binary blends are obtained with a peak external quantum efficiency of up to 90%, showing certified PCEs of 9.69% and 13.03% for a fullerene blend of PTB7:PC71BM and a nonfullerene blend, FTAZ:IDIC, respectively."
@bea ugh
like, part of me wants to go, yay, cool
but there's been _so_ much wasted effort on these exotic materials because it's EASY and it gets papers published
meanwhile the unglamorous aspects of trying to make solar power practical go unexamined because it's not the sort of thing you can throw nanoparticles at
power storage and distribution is the difficult problem
back in 2003, I think it was, Dr. Nathan Lewis at Caltech gave a fascinating speech on the theoretical limitations of various forms of "alternative" energy generation, and pointed out that even with current solar cell technology, you could power the whole country by using up only a third the surface area of Kansas
so focusing on building new cells is...honestly, it seems more and more like wheel-spinning.
@kara @cascode mm, i read about that stuff all the time too. it's happening!
i am generally not interested in things about making MORE EFFICIENT (inorganic) cells, because as you said, area is not usually the big problem
but i am very interested in cheaper ways of making cells, and ways that permit more distributed and possibly more equitable manufacturing of them
i could see a co-op doing polymer cells a lot sooner than a wafer fab you know?
@bea @mona @cascode well, if I could...
the general idea was, I wanted to write stories about how the monsters were trying to establish a new community on the Surface, and Queen Toriel was giving heavy priority to self-sufficiency. she wanted her people to be able to grow their own food, generate their own power
and cos Dr. Alphys and Undyne were my main characters I figured I'd show them working on organic conductors and stuff like that because they're amenable to low-cost fabrication.
@bea @kara @cascode *chuckles* I do believe she has you there, Kara.