Perhaps the most popular and, at the same time, the most promising source of such generation is the energy from the sun. According to forecasts of the International energy Agency, by 2050 solar power plant can produce up to 25% of the world’s electricity.
Many experts believe that despite the wealth of Russian hydrocarbons in the long term, renewable energy sources, including solar generation is capable of becoming a dominant energy. But with the advancement of technology the cost of such generation will not just be low, and generating profits.
Global production of solar panels is doubling every 3 years, the cost of production falls, which leads to lower prices. And if even 15-20 years ago, solar panels seemed to be something incomprehensible, then today installing them on the roofs of private houses is no surprise.
the technology that is now widely used for the production of solar panels, specially designed to build huge solar power plants in open spaces, but not in the cities themselves. So, in the price of electricity includes network services companies and the rent of land for the power plant. Enthusiasts who installs solar panels in private homes, facing a number of challenges. Traditional solar panels made from crystalline silicon have limitations. In particular, these panels weigh a lot and are quite fragile. This means that not all the roof it is possible to install silicon solar panels. There are important and material of roof, and its configuration. The installation process itself is also quite time-consuming and costly. It is necessary to design and install a special frame, which subsequently will be assigned to solar panels. The support structure often weighs twice the panel, reaching 25 kg/m2. But even if the building is able to withstand such pressure, the building is unlikely to be a decoration and will fit harmoniously into the modern city.
There is one important caveat, which is not widely accepted to talk. The fact that the “composition” of traditional solar panels by 90% is glass, aluminum, and silicon – high-energy materials, the production of which leaves a “fat” carbon footprint. Agree, there is some dissonance in the fact that the production of solar panels for “green” generation, impact on air pollution. Because of these features of traditional silicon solar cells have not found wide application in the urban environment.
However, today there are technologies that can help to use the limitless solar resource in the cities, making its massm and is available. One of these solutions – flexible solar panel. Thin, light, almost unnoticeable, but effective. Unlike traditional panels, flexible are created on the basis of technology of thin-film photovoltaics, where instead of crystalline silicon as the active layer used microcrystalline or amorphous materials deposited on a flexible substrate. These panels can be installed on almost any surface roofs and facades – they are easy to install, and the weight per square meter together with fasteners no more than three pounds. The thickness of flexible solar modules is about 2 mm, and this means that they practically do not change the architectural appearance of buildings and can easily fit into the panorama of any city.
moreover, flexible solar panels are able to become part of the roofing materials. Besides, these panels are more efficient in cloudy weather and in conditions of partial shading. The subtlety of the flexible modules allows to install them on the wall with low bearing capacity, for example, of insulated sandwich panels. Vertical installation in some regions even better. For example, in Yakutia. In this region the sun a lot, but the angle lights low and the winter is dominated by the reflected (from snow) light. Besides, when the vertical installation of the solar battery is not required to clear from snow.
in addition, the polymer film, on which produce such panels, are made from products of processing of oil and gas, i.e. the carbon in the polymer to be “associated” and not emitted to the atmosphere. This means that the production of such a product is not just a low carbon footprint, and I can even say negative.
New technology for manufacturing flexible solar panels allows you to make the generation of solar energy truly accessible to all. For private households – is an opportunity not only to fully provide itself with electricity, but give the surplus to the network. In the cities, flexible solar panel can be included in the concept of a comfortable urban environment. These panels can be used, say, in housing. Due to the generation of solar energy can be fed, for example, air conditioners.
“the Need for the use of solar panels is justified not only by energy savings and reduction of harm to the environment, but also an increase in the overall index of efficiency and high-tech object, – says Director of “Design Bureau 1642″ Andrey Khomenko. And that’s reasonable costs from the perspective of implementation of best available technologies. Economic impact may be most significant for major repairs of facades of buildings. In this case, the two problems – the insulation of the building and the electricity savings that with��the collection will help to quickly recoup the costs of repairs and subsequently, notably to save energy”.
City parks, squares, playgrounds, various locations, or elements thereof, according to experts, can also be converted to solar energy.
With the development of production technology of flexible solar modules the scope of their application can be substantially expanded. It is not necessary to install such panels on the facade or the roof of the building. Now the “roof” can take, for example, in the campaign, turning it into a roll. This solves the issue of power supply in the tent camps – more don’t need a huge fuel supply. Flexible solar panels themselves can serve as awnings or canopies. “Solar blanket” can be used at MSW landfills, which, first, will protect them from wind and precipitation, and thus will not spread the waste and smell in the area, and secondly, will provide an opportunity to generate electricity and to collect landfill gas.
the Russian company Solartek, which is included into Group “Technopark” from the investment network of the Fund for infrastructure and educational programs RUSNANO is engaged in the development and localization of the best technologies existing today in the production of flexible thin film solar panels and, in particular, creates solutions for solar roofs – shingles, roofing materials, tiles with embedded thin-film photovoltaic panels. In the coming year, the company Solartek in partnership with the Center for nanotechnology and nanomaterials of Republic of Mordovia will start in Saransk Russia’s first plant for the production of flexible solar panels that will be produced under the brand name SteelSun. The plant will produce solar cells and modules on CIGS technology (diselenide gallium-indium-copper). The average efficiency of such modules is about 15%, they will be able to operate in ambient light conditions and partial occlusion. This will be the first in Russia the production technology non-silicon antifoaming photovoltaics.
“We expect long-term demand for integrated solar roof from the commercial sector: what businesses need more electricity in the afternoon during working hours, when tariffs on most high – said the head of the Group of companies Solartek Dmitry Krakhin. We have already developed solutions for the integration of thin-film solar panels for most popular roof types – roofing, standing seam, shingles”.
the Development of technologies, like those isolates, the Russian company Solartek, will increasingly push the development of “green” generation, and thus reduce the dependence on hydrocarbons is not in the distant future, and in the foreseeable tomorrow.
