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Solar panels on a smart home

What’s the Difference Between Silicon Solar Panels and Emerging Solar-Cell Tech? (Download)

Nov. 15, 2024
Log in to download the PDF of this article that compares current solar-panel technology with the latest in solar cells.

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In recent decades, investment and research into renewable energy has skyrocketed as governments and industries try to meet low carbon-emission targets. Solar panels, or photovoltaics (PV), have emerged as key players in addressing the energy crisis, drawing significant attention. Last year, global investment in solar-panel technology surpassed that of all other renewable-energy sources combined.

One key reason for this growth is that solar energy is abundant, reliable, and free. The sun provides an immense amount of energy—just 90 minutes of sunlight is enough to meet global energy demand for an entire year. While solar panels are limited by a fundamental efficiency limit of ~34%, this still allows us to harness up to 330 W/m² of energy, making it a significant and valuable resource.