Solar energy is a very important means for power supply and environmental protection. However, the conventional solar cell systems made of copper-indium-gallium diselenide, a cadmium-tellurium film or a photosensitization dye will harm the environment when they are abandoned. Further, the conventional solar cells adopt dark-color or opaque materials; therefore, it is not so easy to apply the conventional solar cells to the living surroundings. Accordingly, the present invention proposes a transparent solar cell system, which has a higher energy-conversion efficiency and an extensive applicability. Below, the embodiments of the present invention are to be described in detail in cooperation with the drawings.
Refer to
From those described above, it is known: among the structures of the light-permeable solar energy conversion device 10 of the present invention, the transparent substrate 12, the first transparent conductive film 161 and the second transparent conductive film 162 are all light-permeable except the first and second electrodes 141 and 142. However, the second electrodes 142 happen to be on the topmost layer of the light-permeable solar energy conversion device 10. Therefore, in the present invention, when made of an opaque material, the electrodes are fabricated into a finger-like structure, a network structure or a comb-like structure lest sunlight be obscured. Refer to
The light-permeable solar energy conversion device of the present invention has been described above. However, the above-mentioned light-permeable solar energy conversion device 10 has to further electrically connect to balance units, such as an energy-storage device, a power regulator and a structure-fixing device, to complete the transparent solar cell system of the present invention, so that the energy acquired by the light-permeable solar energy conversion device 10 can be stored and utilized. The light-permeable solar energy conversion device 10 is connected to the balance units with conductive wires, which are made of a metallic material with a high conductivity, such as copper, silver, gold or aluminum. Refer to
Further, the present invention also proposes a mixed type solar energy conversion device, which comprises: a light-permeable solar energy conversion device and an opaque solar energy conversion device. The mixed type solar energy conversion device is to be described below.
Refer to
The mixed type solar energy conversion device 50 of the present invention has been described above. Similarly, the mixed type solar energy conversion device 50 has to further electrically connect to balance units, such as an energy-storage device, a power regulator and a structure-fixing device, to form a complete mixed type solar cell system, so that the energy acquired by the mixed type solar energy conversion device 50 can be stored and utilized. The mixed type solar energy conversion device 50 is connected to the balance units with conductive wires, which are made of a metallic material with a high conductivity, such as copper, silver, gold or aluminum.
The light-permeable solar energy conversion device can absorb the light of the wavelengths ranging from 350 to 600 nm. For the light-permeable solar energy conversion device of the present invention, the light transmittance is about 40% at the wavelength of 500 nm, and the transmittance of infrared light is about 70% max. On the whole, the energy-conversion efficiency of the light-permeable solar energy conversion device of the present invention is about 12%.
In summary, when the transparent solar cell system is only implemented with the light-permeable solar energy conversion device, it has the advantages of lightweightness and transparency and has the electromagnetic protection provided by the metallic electrodes and can be extensively applied to the designs of windows and doors of houses, offices, factories and vehicles. Further, as the transparent solar cell system of the present invention has a simple fabrication process and a low fabrication cost, it benefits the popularization of solar energy. Furthermore, the transparent solar cell system can be incorporated with the opaque solar cell system to form the mixed type solar cell system to convert a wider spectrum of sunlight into electric energy. If the temperature regulation function of infrared light is also taken into consideration, the utilization efficiency of sunlight will be as high as about 50%. Before reaching the opaque solar cell system of the mixed type solar cell system, most of the high-energy shorter-wavelength spectrum of sunlight, such as ultraviolet light, has been absorbed by the transparent solar cell system; therefore, the damage of the opaque solar cell system induced by ultraviolet light is reduced, and the service life of the mixed type solar cell system of the present invention is extended.
Those described above are the embodiments to exemplify the present invention to enable the person skilled in the art to understand, make and use the present invention. However, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modification and variation according to the spirit of the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the claims of the present invention stated below.