The cells are glitter-sized, Sandia researchers said, meaning that they could be building-integrated or installed on tents or clothing. "Hunters, hikers or military personnel in the field [could] recharge batteries for phones, cameras and other electronic devices," lead investigator Greg Nielson suggested.
And the microcells are likely to be cheaper to both assemble and install. The assembly process uses technologies from the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) industry and would build in inverters and control units at the chip level. Integrated modules "could greatly simplify the cumbersome design, bid, permit and grid integration process," field engineer Vipin Gupta said.
The cells are one-tenth the thickness of conventional solar photovoltaic panels, yet they generate the same amount of energy. And they can be constructed with solar wafers of any size, increasing the flexibility of the assembly process.
Upfront cost is the most substantial barrier to increased solar energy installation. By offering tiny, flexible solar modules that may be cheaper to produce and more reliable, Sandia's latest solar project could be an essential component of an individual-scale energy future.
