18. JULY 2016 | GLOBAL PV MARKETS, MARKETS & TRENDS, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT | BY: SAM POTHECARY
The wordy NanoRacks-Earth Abundant Textured Thin Film Photovoltaics investigation is looking into a new design of 3D PV cell, which should, in theory, absorb sunlight more efficiently, while also investigating the effects that space has on the new technology.
Astronaut Scott Parazynski of STS-120 conducting a spacewalk to repair a damaged solar panel at the ISS. Image courtesy of NASA
The investigation was planned and is being led by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where they developed the NanoRacks-Nano Tube Solar Cell. The cell has 3D tubes incorporated into its design that trap sunlight that hits the cell from any direction, and uses an earth abundant photoabsorber material, copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS).
The investigation will focus on whether this groundbreaking 3D design will be able to absorb sunlight more efficiently, both on earth and in space, by continually changing the angles of the array, to see if this can accelerate electrical characterization opportunities. It will also explore the effects of space on the solar cells, to see if it accelerates degradation, while also determining if CZTS can be used as a photoabsorber in a 3D PV array.
If successful, the 3D cells have two big advantages over conventional cells. Firstly they can be produced on top of metal foils, which makes them lightweight, flexible and cost efficient, and secondly, they could circumvent the need for heavy and expensive tracking machinery. The research brief writes that the expedition should be completed in September 2016, so hopefully the results from the experiment will be published close to this date.
