Alex Sayre
3:13
Feb, 20, 2009
Solar Power these days is made by sun light being caught by photovoltiacs which are plates made of silicon or thin films made of cadmium telluride. They materials they are made out of are quite expensive and are difficult to mine and mass produce for a possibly global alternate energy solution.
A Study done by scientists in UC have revealed many other materials that are unconventional but a possible replacement for the silicon and thin film plates. These materials are, from best to worst, iron pyrite, copper sulfide and copper oxide. The iron shows more potential for the rest because it has a better kilawat/cent extraction cost making it cheaper. Making this material much cheaper than thin films and silicon will counteract the difference in the performance factor, iron pyrites being lower, for energy production. Because it is so cheap much more can be produced offering a great abundance of the material to be created.
The timeframe for these technologies to advance is very far from today. The possibility of todays technology using solar energy to solve our energy problem is very unlikely. Scientists project that if the current state of things continues to occur by 2050 we will be out of luck and the effects of our waste will be irreversible. I guess thats a better prediction than 2012 (the end of the mayan calander, uh oh) and its good to be optimistic.
Solar energy is something the Earth itself uses everywhere, in any nook and cranny sunlight reaches to produce its own energy and create life. Why shouldn't we mimic it?
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/39344
Let's hope the Myans are wrong ;) I agree, solar energy seems so obvious, I hope our scienctific minds can figure it out (job security, right?) It will be interesting to follow the progression of advancements, and the pressure is certainly on as the reality of our onw self-destruction can no longer be denied (shouldn't be anyway).
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