Photovoltaic panels are still way too expensive for mass adoption.  One major reason is the wiring connecting the individual cells.  That plus the glass and the manufactured silicon cell materials pose expenses that limit the purchase economics to major subsidies and areas where weather risk is low or nonexistent.

Benjamin Wiley, an assistant professor of chemistry at Duke University is leading a team of chemists that have perfected a simple way to make tiny copper nanowires (CuNW) in quantity. The cheap conductors are small enough to be transparent, making them ideal for thin-film solar cells, flat-screen TVs and computer monitors, and flexible displays.  The team reported its findings online this week in Advanced Materials.

Wiley says the nanowires made of copper perform better than carbon nanotubes, and are much cheaper than silver nanowires.  The price of the materials used to synthesize 1 gram of CuNWs is $5.94, while $32.59 is needed for 1 gram of silver nanowires. The team’s paper reports it would take about $3.00 worth of CuNWs, less than half a gram, to coat 1 m² of glass.  This is a very different economic proposition.

Copper Nanowires. Click image for more info.

Currently indium tin oxide (ITO) is used as the transparent layer for the electrode in thin-film solar cells, the latest flat-panel TVs and computer screens producing images. ITO has drawbacks: it is brittle, making it unsuitable for flexible screens; its production process is inefficient; and it is expensive and becoming more so because of increasing demand.  Wind and hail would kill current photovoltaic panels by breaking the conductive layer if not the glass.  ITO works well, but coming up with a replacement is crucial.

Wiley says, “If we are going to have these ubiquitous electronics and solar cells we need to use materials that are abundant in the earth’s crust and don’t take much energy to extract.” He points out that there are very few materials that are known to be both transparent and conductive, which is why ITO is still being used despite its drawbacks.

That illustrates the importance of why Wiley’s new work showing that copper, which is a thousand times more abundant than indium, can be used to make a film of nanowires that is both transparent and conductive.

Silver nanowires also perform well as a transparent conductor, and Wiley contributed to a patent on the production of them as a graduate student. But silver, like indium, is rare and expensive. Other researchers have been trying to improve the performance of carbon nanotubes as a transparent conductor, but without much progress.

Wiley says, “The fact that copper nanowires are cheaper and work better makes them a very promising material to solve this problem.”

Wiley’s lab is the first to demonstrate that copper nanowires perform well as a transparent conductor. Other researchers have produced copper nanowires, but on a much smaller scale.  Wiley says the process will need to be scaled up for commercial use, and there are two other problems to solve as well: preventing the nanowires from clumping, which reduces transparency, and preventing the copper from oxidizing, which decreases conductivity. Once the clumping problem has been worked out, Wiley believes the conductivity of the copper nanowires will match that of silver nanowires and ITO.

Wiley and his students, PhD candidate Aaron Rathmell and undergraduate Stephen Bergin, grew the copper nanowires in a water-based solution. “By adding different chemicals to the solution, you can control the assembly of atoms into different nanostructures,” Wiley said. In this case, when the copper crystallizes, it first forms tiny “seeds,” and then a single nanowire sprouts from each seed. It’s a mechanism of crystal growth that has never been observed before.

Because the process is water-based, and because copper nanowires are flexible, Wiley thinks the nanowires could be coated from solution in a roll-to-roll process, like newspaper printing, which would be much more efficient than the ITO production process.

Wiley says, “We think that using a material that is a hundred times cheaper will be even more attractive to venture capitalists, electronic companies and solar companies who all need these transparent electrodes.”  A patent application for the process has been filed and Wiley expects to see copper nanowires in commercial use in the not-too-distant future. He notes that there is already investment financing available for the development of transparent conductors based on silver nanowires.

This is great news.  Solar panels send roof insurers into apoplexy because of the premium required to replace damaged panels taking a wide swath of the available area out of the productivity zone.  Lowering costs is critically important.  The other side also can benefit, more efficient display panels can cut the electrical energy needed to expand the human standard of living.  The Duke team’s work is much more important than a glance indicates.  The work should help in the orbital solar collector effort as well.


Comments

42 Comments so far

  1. Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy and Fuel | Future Of Solar Panels on June 3, 2010 2:04 AM

    […] more: Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy and Fuel Share and […]

  2. Tweets that mention Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy and Fuel -- Topsy.com on June 3, 2010 4:18 AM

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Solar, Solar Panels. Solar Panels said: Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy and Fuel http://bit.ly/dqS1UJ […]

  3. Solar Flagstaff on June 3, 2010 7:07 AM

    Solar power is becoming more accessible and more affordable every day.

  4. russ on June 3, 2010 9:41 AM

    @Solar Flagstaff – It may in the future but today it is very expensive and only mandates/incentives allow it to happen at all.

    Look around the world where the mandates/incentives are not available and see what is happening as regards solar installations – nothing is happening!

  5. blue7053 on June 4, 2010 12:04 PM

    I’ve been using solar panels for 30 years. I started buying at $186/60watts, today, $75/60watts. The program is to replace one fuse circuit at a time and separate load by importance. Refrigerator on the grid. TV, sound system, satellite (all require immense power requirement to stay ‘instant on’); on the grid. Lights, fans, induction hot plate, microwave; solar system. Computer and backup power supply, (plus surge sensitive electronics) on the Solar System.
    Easy and getting cheaper.

  6. russ on June 5, 2010 12:53 AM

    @blue – the panels are only a part of the cost – maybe 20%.

  7. emt training on June 15, 2010 10:16 PM

    My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!

  8. Solarpanelsforsale on June 15, 2010 10:56 PM

    What is the absolute maximum amount of energy that solar panels can get?

  9. Tim on June 22, 2010 2:42 AM

    This sounds like an incredible breakthrough in solar panel technology, but I hear about new solar tech announcements every other day. When will this be in the hands of solar panel installers so that the average person has access to affordable solar power?

  10. Arizona Solar Jobs on June 30, 2010 7:28 AM

    Arizona is the solar capital of the world, but other states and countries can easily get onboard and it will benefit all of us.

  11. russ on June 30, 2010 7:44 AM

    @ Tim – Between 10 and 20 years to the commercial market – if it actually works out at all.

  12. Prada Handbags on July 30, 2010 11:22 PM

    Your write-up is in reality scary! How I desire they could have some actions to solve this. Got to go,great article! Thank for the material!Our store offers you all kinds of favourite products like Prada Handbags with high quality, fashion style and competitive price.

  13. mbt shoes on August 17, 2010 6:48 PM

    I like your writing!

  14. Conveyancing on September 6, 2010 7:48 AM

    Such interesting stuff and reporting! Keep up the good work guys

  15. SolarEnergyAdvantages on September 12, 2010 3:28 AM

    I have found blog site that would encourage people to divert/renew their source of electricity. I found this site really helpful. Solar Energy Advantages Blog is part of a family of alternative energy sites that answers practical questions for homeowners that are interested in transitioning to solar energy.

  16. Takako Covitt on September 25, 2010 11:30 PM

    Thank you for enriching the internet the entire world with this article!

  17. A4 Audi Parts on September 28, 2010 12:35 AM

    Where can I obtain performance portions as my Audi 80 Cabriolet? Exhaust as well as suspension.? I’m havign actual problems working To obtain these segments as my Audi. No where seems how to do performance exhausts and also the least expensive suspesion kits I may find must be about ВЈ500! I’ve seen a provider on Ebay Based on Germany who sell a full kit as ВЈ189 but that is apparant a bit also discounted and also I dont recognise went they went be any one good or never. Does everyone recomend wherever?

  18. taekwondo video on October 1, 2010 12:20 PM

    Just like someone else said what a wonderful blog this is. Usually I dont make the effort with a comment however , for your energy and efforts you merit one. Perfectly

  19. Abbie Hunt on October 6, 2010 1:15 AM

    solar panels for homes are still expensive and requires some large capital to install`:-

  20. Climbing Gear on October 13, 2010 3:46 PM

    Saying thanks is not going to just be enough, for your phenomenal clarity within your creating. I will instantly seize your rss feed to stay knowledgeable of any updates. Fabulous work and a lot accomplishment with your business enterprise efforts!

  21. Winding Machine  on October 20, 2010 1:01 PM

    solar panel prices are getting lower and lower, soon we can afford to buy those high power solar panels-;”

  22. Top Christmas Gifts For Women 2010 on October 24, 2010 3:40 AM

    Hey, wanted to say this is a great post and i enjoyed the read, thanks.

  23. russ on October 24, 2010 8:44 AM

    There are sure enough people wanting to make a simple and stupid statement in order to get their link posted!

    Slimy types – each and everyone of them!

  24. autism symptoms on November 8, 2010 8:46 AM

    Thank you, I have recently been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far.

  25. Pine Wardrobe · on November 9, 2010 2:27 PM

    we have a solar panel at home that my father built, it can generate 500 watts of electricity ‘

  26. Eating Disorder Treatment on November 18, 2010 4:25 AM

    i could only wish that solar panels cost only several hundred dollars, i would love to fill my roof with solar panels *~`

  27. proiecte case on December 12, 2010 4:51 AM

    Interesting article and one which should be more widely known about in my view. Your level of detail is good and the clarity of writing is excellent. I have bookmarked it for you so that others will be able to see what you have to say.

  28. social workers on December 13, 2010 9:30 AM

    Finally, an issue that I am passionate about. I have looked for information of this caliber for the last several hours. Your site is greatly appreciated.

  29. private student loans on January 2, 2011 8:20 AM

    Useful blog website, keep me personally through searching it, I am seriously interested to find out another recommendation of it.

  30. Solar Panel Installer on March 7, 2011 4:23 PM

    The more we use solar panels, the more governments and companies will pour money into making it cost effective. Celebrities are currently going greener for various reasons but I have solar panels on my home and I am not a celebrity. If half of the people who could afford solar panels would hop on board, we would be a lot better off.

  31. Ted Pizio on April 21, 2011 4:45 AM

    I really like your site and discovered many of your posts get what exactly I’m searching for.

  32. Margaret Robles on April 29, 2011 7:59 AM

    Hello! thank you for the amazing blog. keep up the best!

  33. Clyde Ruger on April 30, 2011 11:29 AM

    Can I just say what a aid to searching for someone who really knows what they’re talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. Folks must read this and understand this side of the story. I cant imagine you’re not more well-liked since you definitely have the gift.

  34. Ileana Juenemann on May 23, 2011 9:40 AM

    Interesting read, perhaps the best article iv’e browse today. We learn everyday cheers to you!

  35. Dubstep Software on July 28, 2011 2:14 AM

    Costs for PV systems vary depending on what kind of rebates and other financial incentives are available, whether your home is under construction, whether PV panels are integrated into the roof or mounted on top of an existing roof, the size of the system, the price of the components and numerous other factors.

  36. Anibal Mehr on August 30, 2011 8:42 AM

    Thanks for posting. Good to see that not everyone is using RSS feeds to build their blogs 😉

  37. Alejandro Booe on September 6, 2011 4:11 AM

    Intriguing post. I have been searching for some good resources for solar panels and discovered your blog. Planning to bookmark this one!

  38. Werner Legoullon on September 8, 2011 11:49 PM

    I was just having a conversation over this I am glad I came across this it cleared some of the questions I had.

  39. Tifany Harlan on September 17, 2011 10:26 PM

    Great read. Thanks for the info!

  40. Audria Raguay on December 29, 2011 3:50 PM

    good post.Never knew this, thankyou for letting me know.

  41. Green Deal cashback scheme | on February 28, 2013 2:16 PM

    […] Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy … – ] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Solar, Solar Panels. Solar power is becoming more accessible and more affordable every day. @Solar Flagstaff It may in the future but today it is very expensive and only mandates/incentives allow it to happen at all. […]

  42. Green Deal cashback scheme | Bespoke Renewable Solutions on March 6, 2013 2:17 AM

    […] Breaking Through The Solar Panel Cost Problem | New Energy … – ] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Solar, Solar Panels. Solar power is becoming more accessible and more affordable every day. @Solar Flagstaff It may in the future but today it is very expensive and only mandates/incentives allow it to happen at all. […]

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

css.php