http://e360.yale.edu/digest/solar_shingles_made_from__common_metals_offer_cheaper_energy_option/3600/
e360 digest
22 Aug 2012:
Solar Shingles Made from Common Metals Offer Cheaper Energy Option
U.S. scientists say that emerging photovoltaic technologies will enable
the production of solar shingles made from abundantly available elements
rather than rare-earth metals, an innovation that would make solar
energy cheaper and more sustainable. Speaking at the annual meeting of
the American Chemical Society, a team of researchers described advances
in solar cells made with abundant metals, such as copper and zinc. While
the market already offers solar shingles that convert the sun’s energy
into electricity, producers typically must use elements that are scarce
and expensive, such as indium and gallium. According to Harry A.
Atwater, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology, recent
tests suggest that materials like zinc phosphide and copper oxide could
be capable of producing electricity at prices competitive with
coal-fired power plants within two decades. With China accounting for
more than 90 percent of the world’s rare-earth supplies — and prices
rising sharply — companies and nations are racing to find new sources of
rare earth minerals, which are used in everything from solar panels to
smart phones.
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