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Sandia National Laboratories scientists have developed glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that use 100 times less silicon and generate the same amount of energy as conventional solar cells.
The cost reduction is due partly to the fact the microcells don’t need a lot of material to become highly efficient and well-controlled devices. They are just 14 to 20 micrometers thick – a human hair is approximately 70 micrometers thick – and are ten times thinner than a conventional 6 x 6 inch solar cell, however they are capable of being used in large-scale power production. This could mean a reduction in the manufacturing and installation costs when compared to current photovoltaic techniques.
