SLAPE solar panels: a possible solution for the future energy problems of our society

Abstract

AbstractToday, the silicon photovoltaic cell (SPVC) solar panels are being deployed across the globe by all most all the governments to generate renewable carbon neutral electricity to use in place of the one generated at thermal power plants by burning fossil fuels. These SPVC solar panels generate electricity with less than 20% efficiency, and heat energy with more than 30% efficiency. This 10% excess heat energy released into the atmosphere can cause a very severe damage to the environment and ecology as it is million times higher than the one caused by the equivalent CO2 gas in the atmosphere with a concentration of about 421 ppm. To avoid the harmful and danger effects of heat energy released by these SPVC solar panels into the atmosphere, either they have to be stopped using or the heat generated by them has to be trapped to use for the beneficial purposes of the society or any other alternate safe solar panels have to be developed. In this study, for the first time, the SLAPE (Semiconductor and Liquid Assisted Photothermal Effect) solar panels are introduced to generate electricity from sunlight. In these new solar panels, a semiconducting material along with a stable organic solvent is employed to capture the sunlight reaching the earth surface and to convert it into the heat energy. This in situ generated heat energy is then converted into a rotational mechanical energy with the help of an heat engine, and then into electricity with the help of suitable electric generator. To establish the Proof of Concept (poc), in this study, SPV cells as semiconducting material and γ-butyrolactone were employed to fabricate a one square meter area SLAPE solar panel and generated about 17 V AC electricity with the help of a custom manufactured reciprocally moved steam engine (RMSE) and an electric generator. Thus obtained results are presented and discussed along this article.