Researcher Seeks Cheaper Solar Cells
Media Contact: , (859) 257-1754, x228
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 23, 2009) − Vijay Singh was there in the early days, the
heady days in the mid-1970s when the OPEC oil embargo first prompted Americans to consider
energy from the sun.
"We knew then that if you took a 75-mile by 75-mile area in the Arizona desert and put up solar panels, even with 10 percent efficiency we could generate enough electricity to supply the needs of the United States," recalls Singh.
Now, 35 years later, the nation's electricity needs continue to be met primarily through fossil fuels -- but Singh, director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the University of Kentucky, foresees a time when solar cells contribute far more power to the grid.
Singh, who earned his doctorate at the University of Minnesota and has always explored the potential of solar cells, believes his research group is nearing a breakthrough that will lead to solar cells that are less expensive to produce and are more efficient than those currently on the market.
"We're on the way… We are leaders in this march," Singh says.
Singh's team has developed "thin film" solar cells based on cadmium telluride, a component for solar cells that is far less expensive to produce and use than the traditional silicon-based cells.
"It's been a 'holy grail' to get the (production) cost below $1 a watt. Now that has been achieved," Singh says.
But now, Singh's researchers are fabricating nanoscale wires of copper indium diselenide, a promising material that could further reduce the expense and increase the efficiency of solar cells.
"There are no nanoscale solar cells on the market today," he says.
"We're the first group in the world to fabricate these copper indium diselenide nanowires," Singh says.
His research group also is among a small number that have made nanowires from cadmium telluride, he says.
The idea is to make the nanowires, then make solar cells from the wires. "We believe the nanowire approach is a very promising pathway to get to solar cell efficiencies substantially higher than 40 percent," Singh says.
"We knew then that if you took a 75-mile by 75-mile area in the Arizona desert and put up solar panels, even with 10 percent efficiency we could generate enough electricity to supply the needs of the United States," recalls Singh.
Now, 35 years later, the nation's electricity needs continue to be met primarily through fossil fuels -- but Singh, director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the University of Kentucky, foresees a time when solar cells contribute far more power to the grid.
Singh, who earned his doctorate at the University of Minnesota and has always explored the potential of solar cells, believes his research group is nearing a breakthrough that will lead to solar cells that are less expensive to produce and are more efficient than those currently on the market.
"We're on the way… We are leaders in this march," Singh says.
Singh's team has developed "thin film" solar cells based on cadmium telluride, a component for solar cells that is far less expensive to produce and use than the traditional silicon-based cells.
"It's been a 'holy grail' to get the (production) cost below $1 a watt. Now that has been achieved," Singh says.
But now, Singh's researchers are fabricating nanoscale wires of copper indium diselenide, a promising material that could further reduce the expense and increase the efficiency of solar cells.
"There are no nanoscale solar cells on the market today," he says.
"We're the first group in the world to fabricate these copper indium diselenide nanowires," Singh says.
His research group also is among a small number that have made nanowires from cadmium telluride, he says.
The idea is to make the nanowires, then make solar cells from the wires. "We believe the nanowire approach is a very promising pathway to get to solar cell efficiencies substantially higher than 40 percent," Singh says.