These Solar Cells Are Made of Moon Dust. They Could Power Future Lunar Colonies.
1 min read
Summary
Researchers at the University of Potsdam, Germany, have discovered a method of creating glass from simulated moon dust, which could be used to make solar panels.
The technique involves melting the dust at 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which could be achieved by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight on the moon.
Once the moonglass has been created, an ultrathin layer of a material called halide perovskite is deposited onto it.
This creates a functional solar cell, with the researchers achieving between 9.4% and 12.1% efficiency during testing.
While this is significantly less than the 30-40% achieved by the most advanced space solar cells, it would be more than offset by the huge launch cost savings.
