Solar Panel Energy Related To Color Of Visible Light

Solar panels mostly convert visible light into electrical energy and they also can make use of almost half the infrared energy.

Solar panel energy related to color of visible light.

A photovoltaic cell responds selectively to light wavelengths. Wavelength of light that hits a solar panel solar cells generate an electrical current when light hits their surface. As you can see cool leds have a higher spectrum irradiance which means they are better for solar. In other words cool white is the best artificial light color for solar panels.

Sunlight energy that reaches the ground is around 4 ultraviolet 43 visible light and 53 infrared. For the wavelength close to 450 nm the corresponding color would be cool white. Very short wavelengths. Today solar cells use the photoelectric effect to convert sunlight into power.

In a step closer to skyscrapers that serve as power sources a team led by university of michigan researchers has set a new efficiency record for color neutral transparent solar cells. Those much longer than 700 nanometers lack the energy to affect the cell and simply pass through it. In his research hertz discovered that more power was created by ultraviolet light than visible light. Previous transparent solar cells have light utilization efficiencies of roughly 2 3 but the indium tin oxide cell is rated at 3 5 and the silver version has a light utilization efficiency of 5.

Researchers have set a new efficiency record for color neutral transparent solar cells by achieving 8 1 efficiency and 43 3 transparency with an organic or carbon based design rather than conventional silicon. But solar panels only use a small portion of ultraviolet. Usually buildings with glass exteriors use a coating which not only reflects but also absorbs some light in both visible and infrared spectrums reducing brightness and heat within the structure. White light that we see from the sun includes all colors of the visible spectrum and ranges in wavelength from about 400 nanometers nm to about 780 nm.

Generally speaking solar cells are capable of harnessing visible light for energy generation while other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum go by unnoticed including infrared. Why uv panels are a con job.