Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates way more electricity

Re:Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates... by gnabgib on Monday July 24, 2023 @04:18PM (#36853644)

They seem to be using two different percentages which is confusing. More details can be found in "Highly efficient bifacial single-junction perovskite solar cells"[0]

Of the new panels; the front is 23% efficient and the back side is 20% efficient (see also: "an efficiency of about 91-93% of the front") so overall you collect 43%, vastly more than 26% ("current solar cell technologies") or even 30% (silicon-perovskite solar cells in lab conditions) of the available power.

[0]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S25424...

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Re:Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates... by gs17 on Monday July 24, 2023 @06:36PM (#36855220)

>the front is 23% efficient and the back side is 20% efficient (see also: "an efficiency of about 91-93% of the front") so overall you collect 43%

That doesn't seem quite realistic, since the back side isn't getting full sunlight like the front unless the surface behind the panel is a perfect mirror. Depending on what's reflecting onto it, it could still end up worthwhile.

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Re:Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates... by bullfightonmars on Monday July 24, 2023 @09:39PM (#36856768)

The efficiency is most likely a measure of solar radiation striking the surface of the bottomside not the topside.

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Re:Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates... by gs17 on Wednesday July 26, 2023 @01:13PM (#36881200)

Correct, which is why you can't add them and claim 43% efficiency total. If each side was 60% efficient, you wouldn't add them to 120%.

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