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Going green is a trend in today’s society. However, one thing we know is green energy isn’t always cheap or easily installed. However, according to a blog by Tara Thean on Time’s website titled Hit “Print” for Solar Panels, “according to a paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, it is now possible to print photovoltaic cells on paper as you would any document – and almost as cheaply too.”
Solar paper was developed by a team of MIT researchers. The types of paper that these photovoltaic cells can be printed on include:
- Printing paper
- Tissue paper
- Newspaper
- Tracing paper
Now you may be wondering how the photovoltaic cells are printed on the paper. Thean summarized the process in her blog post below.
“As the paper is run through the solar printer, it enters a vacuum chamber, where a spray of photovoltaic material passes through a mask in the shape of solar cells and is deposited onto the surface of the sheets. After five such layers are applied, a functioning photovoltaic device emerges from the other end.”
An additional benefit is that solar paper is extremely durable. Solar paper can be printed and folded without being damaged. According to Thean’s blog post, the MIT scientists demonstrated solar paper’s durability by printing the cells on a piece of PET plastic, which is thinner than what is used soda cans. The paper was then folded and unfolded 1,000 times. Afterwards, the cells performed at the same level as if nothing happened.
Although solar paper won’t solve all of our energy problems, it seems to be a step in the right direction. Who knows, maybe in 25 or 50 years, solar paper will become a staple or trend in the future of solar power. We still have a long way to go, but just think if we could somehow harness solar energy on a single piece of paper instead of on large, bulky solar panels. It could revolutionize the green industry and make going entirely green a true possibility. What do you think?
Here is a YouTube video demonstrating the solar paper.
