Fool’s gold may be used in solar panels
JAN 18, 2011
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024979
Los Angeles Times : Fool’s gold, or iron pyrite, may one day provide a cheap alternative to the rare, toxic, and expensive materials now used for making solar panels, according to a group of researchers at the University of California, Irvine. The UCI team believes the mineral can be processed into a thin film for use in photovoltaic cells, and could eventually convert sunlight into electricity at roughly the same rate as existing technology. Skeptics warn, however, that commercializing the process is difficult because, in order to be successful, hundreds of thousands of panels must be produced each year, at a cost that can compete with Chinese prices.
© 2011 American Institute of Physics
