'Solar leafs' outshine panels in UK breakthrough
'Solar leafs' outshine panels in UK breakthrough
The new technology eradicates the need for pumps, fans, control units and expensive materials, while also making more clean water and thermal energy
Researchers from Imperial College London have engineered a leaf-like solar design for heightened efficiency.
This photovoltaic leaf (PV-leaf) innovation employs budget-friendly materials, igniting the potential for next-gen renewable solutions.
Experiments reveal PV-leaves generate over 10% extra electricity compared to standard solar panels, which dissipate 70% of solar energy.
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Cost per kW is still most important with PV. Sunlight is free and most people struggle to afford to cover their whole roof so £/kW installed capacity is the key metric. Improving efficiency is great, but if the cost uplift is more than the efficiency uplift, then it's not that useful... Yet! I'm sure they'll eventually get the price down.