Researchers Develop New Solar Cells that Can Work at Night

The new generation of solar cell that promises greater efficiency and its capability to be able to work even at night is currently being developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls. The new Solar cells also claimed can absorb radiation at various angles.

This new type of solar cells will be able to work at the night by converting infrared rays into electrical energy so the solar cells can work maximum , although in a little light. It is also based on the conclusion about large amount of energy in the spectrum of solar radiation is in the infrared band, and infrared re-emitted as heat by the surface of the earth after the sun has fallen. Thus, cells will be able to capture some energy, although at night.

Researchers estimate that solar cells will have the overall efficiency up to 46 percent with a complete system. Compared to solar cells available today, the new solar cells will has some advantage such as more efficient, ability to work for 24 hours, and not constrained by the position of the sun that is not appropriate.