Can a sunflower-inspired polymer boost solar power production?

But most solar panels have one major drawback—they don’t move. That means the sunlight reaching them often comes in at an angle, which hinders maximum power production. But a new light-loving, sunflower-inspired polymer may help boost the productivity of solar panels in the near future.

Do solar panels move?

In recent decades, solar cells have gotten better and cheaper, leading to a boom in the solar energy industry. But most solar panels have one major drawback—they don’t move. That means the sunlight reaching them often comes in at an angle, which hinders maximum power production.

What are the benefits of adding a flower to a solar panel?

Adding panels in the form of a flower to the stem allowed them to create a responsive system that can help maximize the exposure of solar panels to sunlight while not spending energy on optimizing the position.

How does a solar PV panel work?

It involves the use of a solar PV panel mounted on a gear assembly, connected to a bimetallic plate via connecting linkage and a concave mirror to reflect the incident sun rays on the plates during the day. The resultant deflection in the plates rotates the mounted solar PV panel to follow the sun throughout its diurnal course.

Could a solar panel be able to absorb solar energy?

Materials that stay in one position — like solar cells on a solar panel — capture about 22 percent of available solar energy, He says. By creating a material that can follow sunlight, the researchers may have opened the door to devices that are able to maximize solar absorption, even as the sun moved overhead, Lee says.

How do solar panels track the Sun?

As the Sun moves during the day, one or two actuators that are facing the sun respond and pull the solar panel towards the Sun. These composite structures support a solar panel and move to track the Sun. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 7.