Solar Revolution - Spherical Solar Cells : DigInfo

DigInfo News
Embracing the move towards renewable energy sources, Kyosemi have revolutionized the design of the traditional solar cell, increasing it's power generation efficiency and paving the way for innovative applications and a more economical use of raw materials. Sphelar is a spherical micro solar cell, which unlike traditional flat solar cells, can effectively harness reflected and diffused solar light as well as direct light from all directions. Each cell, is 1 to 1.5 mm and can be connected in parallel or in series, allowing for a limitless range of shapes and uses including flexible solar cells, round solar cells, or power-generating windows for buildings or offices while maintaining a certain level of transparency. Also, compared to the production process for traditional solar cells there is a dramatic reduction in the amount of wasted silicon. "In the process of producing spherical spolar cells, molten silicon is used. It's dripped from an elevated position, and crystallizes as a sphere in mid-air, so using this process no silicon is wasted in the production of solar cells." Kyosemi have also developed the SphelarVoice which is a battery-free wireless audio optical information system that receives information via infrared rays. The SphelarVoice uses an array of LEDs to emit a light signal which is recieved by the solar cells, converted into an electrical signal on the battery-free wireless handset and sent to the speaker.