By Cvetelin Vasilev, Ph.D.Nov 10 2022Reviewed by Megan Craig, M.Sc. The soaring demand for renewable energy requires affordable and efficient technologies that can harness clean energy sources and renewable materials, thus minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.
Over the years, the range of thin film applications rapidly expanded, including microelectronics, data storage, communication, construction, biomedical device fabrication, catalysis, and many others. The versatility of the thin film technology led to its creasing implementation in new and innovative industrial processes for the development of novel, more efficient devices while minimizing production cost and waste compared to conventional manufacturing techniques.
High-Efficiency Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells Graphene eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Although GaAs manufacturing is relatively expensive , the thin film technology enables a significant reduction of photovoltaic device manufacturing costs. Commercial thin film GaAs devices are amongst the best performing single-junction photovoltaic devices and can achieve energy harvesting efficiency of nearly 30%.
Thin Films for Energy Storage Solutions Thin film solid-state lithium batteries are one of the most promising emerging solutions for renewable energy storage. Instead of liquid or gel electrolytes, solid-state battery technology employs solid electrolytes sandwiched between substrate electrodes. The rapidly progressing research into anode, cathode and electrolyte materials enabled scientists to create lightweight, flexible battery cells with much higher energy density and longer service life.
Continue reading: What Does an Alternative to Silicon-Based Solar Cells Look Like? References and Further Reading A. Qureshi Thin-Film Solar Panels Offer a Lot of Great Benefits for Renewable Energy. [Online] Blue&Green Tomorrow. Available at: https://blueandgreentomorrow.com/energy/thin-film-solar-panels-offer-lot-of-great-benefits-for-renewable-energy