Although the primary reason for transitioning to solar energy is saving the environment, there’s no denying that electricity demand is at a record high. People are demanding smartphones with long battery life to meet their needs, and computers require higher processing power due to the widespread adoption of automated systems and the rise of artificial intelligence. Since the current energy sources can’t meet this demand, consumers are turning to the most abundant renewable energy source – solar.

Besides abundance, solar panels’ decreasing cost and ever-increasing efficiency make them the prime candidate to fulfill the increasing energy demand. That said, what does the future hold for this industry?

Here are some key solar power industry innovations that will change the future.

Better Storage Solutions

One of the critical challenges of the solar energy industry is the unavailability of reliable storage solutions. Most of the currently available batteries have limited capacities, meaning that they can’t hold enough energy to power large appliances when there’s no sun.

Luckily, Tesla has launched the Powerwall, a huge solar battery that solves the aforementioned problem. Each battery has a capacity of 10 kWh, 8.5 times bigger than a standard car battery that holds 1.2 kWh.

Solar Roof Tiles

Unlike regular solar panels, solar roof tiles are inconspicuous. They blend seamlessly into your roof and take after your current design – whether you have clay tiles, grey shingles, or slate tiles, nobody can differentiate them from standard roof tiles.

Solar roof tiles can produce electricity for 30 years. After this period has elapsed, they’ll continue serving as regular tiles until you decide to replace them.

Solar Paint

Imagine being able to harness energy using your walls? Sounds cool. Thanks to the introduction of solar paint, this will soon be possible.

Solar paint has two main ingredients – titanium oxide, a compound used for making paint and sunscreen, and synthetic molybdenum sulfide, a substance that absorbs moisture from the air. These compounds, coupled with sunlight, break down the water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. The hydrogen is then used as fuel.

Notably, the developers of this technology are still working on ways to harvest the hydrogen selectively. It will be a cleaner way of generating power from hydrogen than burning fossil fuels when this happens.

Better Solar Cells

The most common photovoltaic cells are p-type monocrystalline silicon passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) cells. They guarantee efficiency (up to 24%) at an affordable cost.

However, upcoming designs such as perovskite-silicon tandem cells threaten to end the dominance of PERC cells. Initial tests show that this new technology has an efficiency of 28%. The cells absorb light and distribute it to the upper perovskite and lower silicon cells. As a result, the panel produces more power than traditional PERC cells.

Additionally, perovskite-silicon solar panels are lighter and appealing to commercial consumers. Their transparent nature means that you can use the panels as windows.

Smart Cleaning Technology

Because of their outdoor placement, solar panels usually get dirty. The accumulation of dust, leaves, and debris on the PV cells decreases the efficiency of your solar energy system. Fortunately, you can now apply a self-cleaning coating on your panel such that it maintains maximum efficiency throughout its lifetime.

Final Words

Solar is already one of the fastest-growing forms of renewable energy. This is set to continue as technological advances make panels more affordable. Major market players are also allocating huge budgets to research and develop more efficient photovoltaic cells and find a better alternative to silicon.

With many governments lamenting the effects of fossil fuels on the global climate, likely, solar energy will soon go mainstream. Simply put, the future’s bright!