A Solar Energy Absorber Etched By Lasers Is Super Efficient

The University of Rochester research lab has had success demonstrating a lot of interesting observations.

Now, they’ve used lasers to create solar power absorbers which are highly efficient, reports Phys.org.

Originally spotted in a paper in Light: Science & Applications, this research will let us make the perfect solar power generators.

As per the research paper, laser processing effectively modifies the optical, electrical, mechanical, and tribological properties of materials for a wide range of potential applications. Among the wide range of applications, it also affects the spectral absorption capacity of laser-etched metals.

To explain further, the paper also mentions that they had success in creating selective solar absorbers.

The experiment also concluded that technically they have the potential of increasing the Solar Thermoelectric Generator efficiency up to 130%.

In other words, we can have powerful (and more efficient) power generators in the near future with the help of this research.

It is also worth noting that the research was supported by the grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

We think this could impact a variety of tools/machines that depend on solar power generators. We cannot be too sure if this would be introduced soon enough for the upcoming solar power absorbers manufactured by the companies – but it will be helpful in the near future.

Featured Image Credits: Phys.org

Ankush Das
Categories: General
Tags: lasers, Science, Solar