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It's a cute approach, but perovskite solar cells can probably do much better. Perovskite solar cells can be made at close to room temperature, use relatively co

by gene-h 5y ago

It's a cute approach, but perovskite solar cells can probably do much better. Perovskite solar cells can be made at close to room temperature, use relatively common elements, and can be made fairly thin. The current efficiency record for perovskite solar cells is 25.6%[0]. [0]https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/04/06/unist-epfl-claim-25-6-efficiency-world-record-for-perovskite-solar-cell/ https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/04/06/unist-epfl-claim-25-6...

Kliment 5y ago
Yeah, that's a really promising material for both efficiency and manufacturing cost. It's unfortunate it's so toxic.
kamranjon 5y ago
The purpose of the article was to explore diy manufacturing of pv cells. I don't think this korean/swiss collaboration on high efficiency perovskite solar cells is within the reach of your backyard fabricator.
- Kliment 5y ago
  Perovskite cell manufacturing is quite DIYable. There's been several experiments (lab-scale, not industry-scale) with making the lead-based perovskite film from waste with very minimal equipment. The main problem is toxicity, both to people handling it and to environment if disposed of improperly. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ2bz6jlbz0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ2bz6jlbz0
- labcomputer 5y ago
  The purpose of the article is mental masturbation. The intro motivates the topic by noting that silicon solar cells present a toxic environmental hazard. The author then, apparently with a straight face, posits that cells made from antimony or selenium, of all things, would be a good alternative. For more laughs, the author goes on to suggest that one of advantages of such antimony and selenium cells is that you could build them without a protective covering—-that the semiconductor would be fully exposed to any passerby. It’s like those renfair cosplayers who reject electric motors for their zombie apocalypse scenarios, and plan to repopulate the earth using hydraulic machinery with “easy to procure from any junkyard” flexible hydraulic hoses.
deleted 5y ago
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vamin 5y ago
Perovskites break down when exposed to moisture, so while I do think you could DIY a solar cell pretty easily, it wouldn't last long. There are ways around the moisture problem, but they're not so easily DIYable. "In particular, water promotes fast decomposition, leading to a drastic decrease in device performance." [0] [0]https://www.nature.com/articles/s43246-020-00104-z https://www.nature.com/articles/s43246-020-00104-z
mah4k4l 5y ago
But why not more microscale concentrated solar especially for DIY? For example parabolic mirror from a thin steel plate, or just a bended steel plate, (both in themselves >90% efficient?) -> liquid salt -> steam boiler system -> DC motor seems necessarily to me be a) more efficient b) cheaper to build than perovskite and also c) the skill - level required is very low tech (except the optional liquid salt phase).

by gene-h 5y ago

Kliment 5y ago

Yeah, that's a really promising material for both efficiency and manufacturing cost. It's unfortunate it's so toxic.

kamranjon 5y ago

The purpose of the article was to explore diy manufacturing of pv cells. I don't think this korean/swiss collaboration on high efficiency perovskite solar cells is within the reach of your backyard fabricator.

Kliment 5y ago
Perovskite cell manufacturing is quite DIYable. There's been several experiments (lab-scale, not industry-scale) with making the lead-based perovskite film from waste with very minimal equipment. The main problem is toxicity, both to people handling it and to environment if disposed of improperly. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ2bz6jlbz0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ2bz6jlbz0
labcomputer 5y ago
The purpose of the article is mental masturbation. The intro motivates the topic by noting that silicon solar cells present a toxic environmental hazard. The author then, apparently with a straight face, posits that cells made from antimony or selenium, of all things, would be a good alternative. For more laughs, the author goes on to suggest that one of advantages of such antimony and selenium cells is that you could build them without a protective covering—-that the semiconductor would be fully exposed to any passerby. It’s like those renfair cosplayers who reject electric motors for their zombie apocalypse scenarios, and plan to repopulate the earth using hydraulic machinery with “easy to procure from any junkyard” flexible hydraulic hoses.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

vamin 5y ago

Perovskites break down when exposed to moisture, so while I do think you could DIY a solar cell pretty easily, it wouldn't last long. There are ways around the moisture problem, but they're not so easily DIYable. "In particular, water promotes fast decomposition, leading to a drastic decrease in device performance." [0] [0]https://www.nature.com/articles/s43246-020-00104-z https://www.nature.com/articles/s43246-020-00104-z

mah4k4l 5y ago

But why not more microscale concentrated solar especially for DIY? For example parabolic mirror from a thin steel plate, or just a bended steel plate, (both in themselves >90% efficient?) -> liquid salt -> steam boiler system -> DC motor seems necessarily to me be a) more efficient b) cheaper to build than perovskite and also c) the skill - level required is very low tech (except the optional liquid salt phase).