Lasers Are Making Solar Cells Competitive
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 - 21:28
in Physics & Chemistry
Solar electricity has a bright future: It is renewable and available in unlimited quantities, and it does not produce any gases detrimental to the climate. Its only drawback right now is the price: the electric power currently being produced by solar cells in northern Europe must be subsidized if it is to compete against the household electricity generated by traditional power plants. Researchers are demonstrating how laser technology can contribute to optimizing the manufacturing costs and efficiency of solar cells.