Tiago Maranhao Alves the Brazilian a physical engineer  and CEO of CSEM Brasil an innovations-based company is the subject of an article published by Alice Marcondes on the IPS News Service titled ‘Brazilian-Made Plastic Solar Panels, a Clean Energy Breakthrough’ which states “[Maranhao Alves] While the capacity for power generation is almost the same, its small size means that it can be given uses that are almost impossible for silicon panels”.  What looks like a thin, flexible sheet of regular plastic is actually a solar panel printed with photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. This new material, totally unlike the heavy and costly silicon-based panels commonly used to generate solar power today, was created by scientists at CSEM Brasil, a research institute based in the southeast Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Made by incorporating organic photovoltaic cells into common polymers, the new panels resemble transparent sheets of plastic with stripes where they have been printed with carbon-based organic polymers. …The lightweight, flexible new material can be used to power the electrical components of automobiles and in electronic devices like mobile phones and wireless computer keyboards and mice. But the Brazilian researchers are concentrating on the production of solar panels, which can be used to cover relatively large areas, like windows. “A panel with a surface area of two or three square metres could be sufficient to generate the energy needed in a house lived in by a family of four. Because of its good cost-benefit ratio, it could also be an option for bringing energy to remote areas without electric power service.” …The plastic can also be used to cover buildings and venues like airports and sports stadiums, avoiding the need to set aside an area for the installation of conventional solar panels. …”We are now going to study the best way to scale up the product.”  Inspired by Alice Marcondes, IPS News Service ow.ly/jArfG Image source LinkedIn ow.ly/jAreE Uses impossible for silicon panels (April 18 2013)

Tiago Maranhao Alves the Brazilian a physical engineer  and CEO of CSEM Brasil an innovations-based company is the subject of an article published by Alice Marcondes on the IPS News Service titled ‘Brazilian-Made Plastic Solar Panels, a Clean Energy Breakthrough’ which states “[Maranhao Alves] While the capacity for power generation is almost the same, its small size means that it can be given uses that are almost impossible for silicon panels”.  What looks like a thin, flexible sheet of regular plastic is actually a solar panel printed with photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. This new material, totally unlike the heavy and costly silicon-based panels commonly used to generate solar power today, was created by scientists at CSEM Brasil, a research institute based in the southeast Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Made by incorporating organic photovoltaic cells into common polymers, the new panels resemble transparent sheets of plastic with stripes where they have been printed with carbon-based organic polymers. …The lightweight, flexible new material can be used to power the electrical components of automobiles and in electronic devices like mobile phones and wireless computer keyboards and mice. But the Brazilian researchers are concentrating on the production of solar panels, which can be used to cover relatively large areas, like windows. “A panel with a surface area of two or three square metres could be sufficient to generate the energy needed in a house lived in by a family of four. Because of its good cost-benefit ratio, it could also be an option for bringing energy to remote areas without electric power service.” …The plastic can also be used to cover buildings and venues like airports and sports stadiums, avoiding the need to set aside an area for the installation of conventional solar panels. …”We are now going to study the best way to scale up the product.”

 

Inspired by Alice Marcondes, IPS News Service ow.ly/jArfG Image source LinkedIn ow.ly/jAreE