Interesting articles I found today. The first article discusses how graphene sheets can be used in PV solar panels to increase efficiency rates from about 32% to almost 60%. This is done by adding in more electrons to photons so that when photons excite one electron it hits another and excites it (and so on with the chain reaction). However, graphene is very expensive to make. The second article discusses how hemp waste fibers can be converted to graphene-like nano sheets, thus replacing graphene in the solar panel while still doubling the efficiency rate. Therefore, PV panels would pay for themselves and generate income over their lifespan (it had been a zero sum before I believe), generate more jobs in agriculture, generate jobs in the manufacturing and processing of hemp and the waste-fibers, and hemp can be used to eliminate/reduce the use of oil in many products as well (thus creating more jobs in those industries). I know Waterloo could use about 1,000 jobs right now and this route is promising. Graphene in PV panels: iflscience/technology/tweaked-graphene-could-double-electricity-generated-solar Hemp fibers: marijuana/news/2014/09/hemp-fibers-could-change-energy-technology-from-your-devices-to-cars/
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:39:59 +0000
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