Project Name : Paper Panels
Theme Name : Information and Education Technology
Objective/Aim: To increase the efficiency of solar cells and to start printing them or recyclable material like paper or cloth to make them portable and environment friendly.
Scientific Principle Involved: Logic behind harnessing solar energy-photovoltaic cells are made up of at least 2 semi-conductor layers. One layer containing a positive charge, the other a negative charge.
Sunlight consists of little particles of solar energy called photons. As a PV cell in exposed to this sunlight, many of the photons are reflected, pass right through, or a absorbed by the solar cell.
When enough photons are absorbed by the negative layer of the photovoltaic cell, electrons are freed from the negative semiconductor material.
Material used: Any recyclable thin material on which photovoltaic cells can be printed, Photovoltaic cells, Proper machinery to print PV cells on paper.
Working investigation/Findings: It was found that if the solar cells are printed on the thin sheets then it gets wide variety of usage. Also they become far more portable.
Utility and further scope of the project: Currently the solar efficiency is close to 15%. Increasing it would increase the world usage of solar energy and thus would provide the world a better renewable source of energy.
Name of the School: Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Alipore Rd., Kolkata.
