PhD Student Discovers Method to Produce Solar Cells in Pizza Oven

August 21st, 2008 by Ariel Schwartz

Solar power usage is growing in the United States, Europe, and Australia, but what about developing areas that don’t even have access to basic electricity? Now that University of NSW PhD student Nicole Kuepper has developed a cheap and simple way of producing solar cells in a pizza oven, these areas might get a chance to use solar power too.

Photovoltaic cells are generally expensive to produce and require large manufacturing plants. But Kuepper’s technology needs relatively low-cost items such as ovens, ink-jet printers, and nail polish. Her iJET solar cells also use a low-temperature process.

The technology will most likely be ready for commercialization in 5 years. Kuepper speculates that the iJET could be used on-site in poor nations to provide otherwise scarce energy.

While I am interested to know exactly how efficient these low-cost solar cells are, they will be of limitless value to those who don’t have any electricity at all.

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