A groundbreaking finding might change how we think about solar panels. Scientists from unlike universities and research institutions have teamed up to create something new that could change traditional solar panels. These new panels could cost 70% less and harvest more energy.
The key to this breakthrough is a superior material called carbon nanotubes. These tiny tubes are cast in the panels’ front and back. Even though they are super small – about 2.2 nanometers-wide – when you put a lot of them together, they can make a solar panel as slim as a piece of paper.
What is cool is that even though they are tiny, these nanotubes can harvest a lot of electricity. They can produce 36 milliwatts of electricity for every square meter of panel. That is like getting 360 watts of power from every square meter! To compare, regular solar panels typically only give about 200 watts per square meter.
This means that not only are these new panels inexpensive to make, but they also make more electricity. It is like getting a improved deal all around!
