Self-cooling solar cells could lead to more efficient solar power

Researchers have developed a new coating that allows solar cells to cool themselves instead of requiring the use of coolants or ventilation, which can be water and energy intensive. Not only that, but the coating boosts power output and extends the life of the technology too. Solar panels in full sun can easily reach temperatures of 130 degrees Fahrenheit and above. Those temperatures lead to efficiency loss and shorten the lifespan of the panels by breaking them down more quickly. Scientists at Stanford have created a passive cooling technology that solves all of those problems and they’ve published their research in the Optical Society’s journal Optica. The society explains that by adding a specially patterned layer of silica glass to the surface of ordinary solar cells the team has found a way to let solar cells cool themselves by shepherding away unwanted thermal radiation.