Energy is life and it’s precious. Most of the energy is derived from non-renewable sources of energy like coal and petroleum products. Now to some extent Natural gas also. Most of us are aware that these sources are depleting day by day. Very high usage of energy for a good life style have lead to this situation. I have been writing about this in between my posts so that at least one will try to save energy.

To keep up with demand and supply curve , now the energy is collected from sun via solar cells. These solar cells are there for quiet a long time. Due to high cost in manufacturing and then as a product very few were buying these. Most of the times they are used by laboratories or by the peoples who can afford those. But the new breakthroughs will change the current situation and may increase the penetration of solar cells.

The first breakthrough is by a Canadian base company who is successful in creating a solar cell which will reduce the cost by 25%. It will also increase the efficiency of solar cells up to 19%. Currently the efficiency of solar cells is about 15%. The new Generation II technology will also speed up the manufacturing process reducing the production costs by 25%. The current Generation I cells have an efficiency of 14.7%.

Another breakthrough is by an Australian PhD student who is successful in creating solar cell out of everyday used items such as inkjet printers, nail polish and pizza ovens. He calls this technology as iJET which is really helpful to developing countries. This technology uses the current low-cost inkjet printing process to create the cell. The beauty of the iJet is that it can be made at room temperature and without high-tech environments or components.

I will surely buy solar cells if their cost reduces to an extent where I can afford them. This energy is renewable and comes free. There will be also less or no hard to our environment.