Scientists have developed a self-cooling solar panels

Solar energy - an inexhaustible source of energy, but the development of this source of man goes on for quite a low rate. However, now, a team of scientists has found a solution to one of the biggest challenges in the development of this energy - overheating, reports vremechko.org.

Even the best solar peak efficiency is 20%, which, in turn, is very small. Scientists from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has recently invented a means for collecting solar energy, which converts heat into an advantage (spongy substance that absorbs sunlight and uses it to turn water into steam), but this tool is still in its early stage of development.

Even after completion of all processes, this technology will not be applied in all cases. That's why a new breakthrough Stanford, this time, can change the rules of the game.

The team, led by Professor Feng Shenhay found a way to compensate for the natural tendency of things to overheat from too much sunlight.

Loss of efficiency - is just one of the problems that overheating can bring solar cells, it also affects their practicality.

An increase of one degree causes a drop in efficiency of 0.5%. Moreover, with the increase in temperature for every 10 degrees, the device begins to deteriorate twice faster.

Now imagine: sunlight is used to generate electricity is heated by solar panels up to 55 degrees and above. Constantly.

Not a very pretty picture is obtained. Therefore, the Stanford team decided to use a cooling mechanism. However, as the sun shall be subjected to light exposure in order to work, it was difficult to create a viable system.

Despite all the obstacles, the team of scientists was able to do it. Their solution was: give each solar cell is very thin layer of a special silica patterned glass, which will receive the heat from the cells themselves. Therefore, no energy use is not necessary.

The pattern is made up of microscopic pyramids and cones, the size of each of which is only a few microns. They draw heat as infrared radiation, and then sends it back to the atmosphere through the same spectrum.

In general, it is an excellent way to refraction of light of different wavelengths. Unfortunately, the exact date of the operation and effectiveness have not been fully investigated and can not be read. We will have to wait some time until the team can not adequately tell us about the prospects for their work.