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Flexible Solar Panels – Space Efficient and Portable Solutions. Find out if these new innovative flexible solar panels could be your solution
If you only need a low wattage solar panel, the innovations in flexible solar panels may be just the solution for you. Just as the name says, these solar panels are flexible. At first thought, this may not sound like much…but once you investigated further you’ll realize just how much the flexibility can improve the availability and usage.
Traditional more structured solar panels are normally constructed of solar cells made from silicon. Usage of solar panels made from silicon has been very promising, but the cost to produce these has limited their widespread availability. Researchers and developers of the flexible solar panel believe this may someday provide the solution for widespread availability. But for now, these new panels offer great solutions for those who need only low wattage solar panels.
The manufacturing process of flexible solar panels uses a process called, “thin film deposition.” This process applies very thin layers of the superconducting element silicon onto a substrate that is flexible. This flexibility allows the silicon layer to flex, fold, and bend. Implementing the use of the panel is as simple as unfolding or unrolling the panel and placing it in the sunlight. Flexible panels don’t have to be on a flat surface to work. They can be put to use on almost any sort of surface.
Versatility of flexible solar panels is high. Portable and easy to set-up makes these panels great for boating, camping, hiking, or any place where space is limited and all you need is low wattage. Depending on the usage, you can choose form 20, 10, and 4 watt versions as well as 3v, 4v, 6v, 7v, 12v, etc.
Also on the horizon for flexible solar panels are panels made from pentacene. Pentacene are sheets made of rings of hydrogen and carbon that occur naturally. Since there is no chemical manufacturing as in the process required for silicon panels, these organic cells are less expensive to produce. Pentacene panels currently are lacking somewhat in efficiency, but the developers are continuing to improve on their function.
Changing the sun’s power into electricity with nonpolluting materials that are both affordable and efficient will put solar electricity at the forefront of alternative energy solutions.
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