Scientists Develop Solar Panels that Work in the Dark
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced today (November 30th) that they have developed and confirmed the design for a new high-efficiency solar cell that utilizes nearly the entire solar spectrum, instead of simply visible light! This solar panel can generate electricity in the absence of direct sunlight, meaning that they can work in the dark! In the past, solar cells have used certain semiconductors to channel and utilize one part of the spectrum. However, this new design uses layers of various materials to make use of nearly the entire solar spectrum!