The solar technology industry was really affected by the Covid-19 lockdowns. But it is getting back up on its own. With more and better technologies that are being invented and modified, you can expect new ones in the future. With many countries already exceeding their solar capacity targets, governments around the world are pushing decarbonization uniformly.
Even under such circumstances, there are some solar technology inventions or modifications that you might have missed. Some of them are as follows.
- Green hydrogen technology
- Efficiency boosting
- Thin-film technology
- Agrivoltaics
Let’s explore some of them here.
Green Hydrogen Technology
2021 saw a major rise in green hydrogen, sparking the interest of multiple companies across the globe. Based on the generation of hydrogen through the chemical process of electrolysis, this technology produces energy without emitting carbon dioxide. Such a method of producing green hydrogen can reduce the generation of 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide when using fossil fuels. Although there are some doubts about the production method of green hydrogen technology, the reduction in emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere can be reduced majorly.
Countries like Switzerland and Canada are much ahead of the pack with their innovative production methods that can produce hydrogen from sources like groundwater and saltwater.
Thin-Film Technologies
Also known as flexible solar panels or stick-on solar panels, thin-film solar panels are a type of solar technology that is really thin in size. Compared to their traditional counterpart, thin-film solar panels are made up of electricity-producing layers that are hundreds of times thinner than typical silicon cells. Its main features include:
- Economical
- Lightweight
- Flexible
- Require fewer materials
- Contains no toxic components
- Generate less waste
- Easy to manufacture
- Lower installation costs
Depending on the PV material used, a thin-film solar panel can produce seven percent to 18 percent more electricity. Theoretically, it also performs better than the normal solar technology that utilizes silicon.