Solar paint

Solar Paint
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Solar Paint
Solar energy is the cleanest power source that is recyclable despite being the most abundant energy source in the world. It is with this notion in mind that research on new methods of harnessing solar energy is done. This has led to the manufacture of solar paint by research institutions with the leading innovator being The University of Notre Dame. The University of Notre Dame in 2011 made a great breakthrough in their research and development when the researchers managed to come up with solar paint. This paint was made by researchers with the aim of replacing of solar panels in the harnessing of solar energy. Developers at the University of Notre Dame have dubbed the paint “Sunbelievable” owing to their belief that they could be able to improve the efficiency of the paint and use it to harness electric power commercially.
Despite having the same appearance as other paints in the building industry used in varnishing of houses, the paint has unique abilities. The outlook of houses and any other exteriors spread over by the solar paint, and other kinds of paint are the same (Levitan, 2012). This study aims at giving the description, reliability, and future technology related to the solar paint aimed at the achievement of cheap method of harnessing the power.
Description
Solar paint works by the use of quantum dots in the production of electricity, which are power-producing nano-particles. The solar paint makes use of Titanium dioxide coated with a choice of cadmium selenide or cadmium sulfide. Use of water-alcohol combination for suspension of the quantum dots and creates a spreadable compound. The next procedure in the preparation is the spreading of the mixture on any flat surface and used in the generation of electricity. Electricity collection by this method does not require the use on any special equipment as required in the harnessing of electricity by any other method. Despite the technological innovation, the efficiency of the solar paint is low at 1%, which is 9-14% lower than the efficiency of solar panels used in the harnessing of solar energy. The solar paint requires the sandwiching of two electrodes to generate electricity from the solar paint. There is a need for the improvement of efficiency needed for the generation of a quantitative amount to enable the use of the solar paint for the mass generation of electricity. Prashant Kamat, the lead researcher and professor at the University of Notre Dame believes that an improvement in the electricity harnessing ability of the solar paint will be a big break and aid in prospectively achieving energy outputs to meet supplement on total production (Science Daily, 2012).
Due of low efficiency levels of the solar paint, it is not commercially available for use, but the researchers believe that they can be able to augment the efficiency. With increased efficiency, solar paint can be able to alleviate energy problems with easily accessible materials and the availability of flat surfaces to spread on, in the form of walls and roofs. Cheap manufacture of the solar paint also gives another advantage of solar paint as a solar harnessing method. This makes it possible for the manufacture of higher quantities of the solar paint, which translates to a higher level of energy production and reaches a high number of consumers. Low manufacturing costs to the consumer mean high levels of accessibility of the solar paint, due to the ability for sale at lower prices. The other advantage to the consumer is that it will be able to act as an exterior to their houses and walls replacing the need to acquire different paint, hence an advantage to customers due to the reduction in the total costs required to harness electricity.
Solar panel use will be an improvement in the environmental conservation activities by people all over the world, as it will aid in reduction of total energy consumption levels. It will also be a provision of a different method of electricity harnessing, which is environmental friendly and consumes a small amount of natural resources in its manufacture. The other environmental friendly advantage is that it has had not environmental hazards mentioned that come with the use of the solar paint in the generation of electricity. This improves the acceptability of the solar paint by all, especially environmental conservation groups and countries, in the world. Essentially, the implementation of the solar panel as an electricity harnessing method will aid in the reduction of total costs to the consumer, as well as the manufacturers in terms of energy consumption and manufacture of electricity harnessing equipments respectively (Mello, 2011).
The generation of electricity by the use of solar paint over solar panel also has an advantage, in that the solar paint come in different colors. Production of solar paint happens by cheap assembly, and the requirement for the production is a bench top. This differs from the manufacture of Silicon Valley cells that require the use of a clean room for manufacture, hence an easy requirement for the manufacture and assembly of the solar panel. The use of non-laboratory conditions in the production of solar paint is only a bench top, which reduces cost outlay in the manufacture of the solar paint leading to improved reliability.
Reliability
The use of solar energy reliability now is low due to an efficiency production of 1% in the testing stage, but there is an expectation that an improvement of efficiency will be able to improve the reliability of the solar panel. The solar panel is also reliable in the harnessing of electricity because of its ability to generate electricity across a visible spectrum. This gives the solar paint an added advantage over other solar panels as this feature allows the solar panel to generate electricity during cloudy days (Mello, 2011). The reliability of solar paint is the fact that the solar paint is fast in relation to the time required for the manufacture. Other solar panels used in the harnessing of electricity require a large amount of time for their manufacture; hence, solar paint is more reliable. The other way solar paint is reliable is that there is cheap manufacture of the solar paint using cheap materials and the easy access of the materials. This differs from solar panel use in harnessing that requires the use of expensive manufacturing equipments and resources.
Despite the fact that the low cost of producing the solar paint may be an excuse for the low efficiency in the conversion of electricity, there is a need for improved reliability. There is a need for the improvement of the ability of the solar paint to generate electricity for the improved total reliability of solar paint as a viable economic efficient way of solar energy harnessing. Realization of the real difference in the solar harnessing industry with the improved reliability of the solar paints through technology improvements forms another reliability of solar paint.
The reliability of the solar paint includes usefulness in cutting of reliance of fossil fuels in use as an electricity source (John, 2012). Solar paint also aids in the re...