An international research team led by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) developed a composite material that increased the power output of solar modules by 12.9 percent during field tests in Saudi Arabia.
»We specialize in nanomaterials that enable passive cooling. These materials are thin and can be placed on different systems that require cooling to operate, like greenhouses and solar cells, without affecting performance,« said KAUST professor Qiaoqiang Gan, who led the study.
The coating consists of a combination of lithium chloride and sodium polyacrylate and is applied to the back of the module. At night, it absorbs humidity and releases it during the day. In the experiment, this reduced the module temperature by an average of 9.4 degrees. The researchers also expect the cooling to more than double the modules’ service life. This could reduce electricity production costs by almost 20 percent. The inexpensive composite material reduces maintenance costs for solar modules. Experiments were conducted not only in Saudi Arabia but also in some of the coolest regions of the United States under rainy conditions.
© PHOTON
