PEROVSKITE COULD BE SOLAR’S NEW SILICON

New solar panels from old car batteries

Sept. 18, 2014 (CNN)

“Old car batteries are being converted into long-lasting solar panels by researchers at MIT. The new applications are riding the current wave of popularity with perovskite-based solar cells…Original designs for perovskite technologies use lead as part of their overall design. But this use of lead means toxic residues are leftover from its extraction…Angela Belcher and her team at MIT used recycled lead from car batteries as an alternative source of lead and as the perovskite materials are just micrometres thick, the amount of lead needed is minimal. Lead from a single car battery could produce enough solar panels to provide power for 30 households…According to the Battery council international, more than 98% of all battery lead is currently recycled, mainly into new batteries. As cars change and demand declines for new batteries, increasing demand for perovskite panels could provide a new primary outlet and further enhance the green stamp on the technology.” click here for more

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