As Leonardo DiCaprio so rightly put it at the Oscars,
climate change is “the most urgent threat facing our species.” This has caused
many in the science community to look for more energy which is less toxic to
our environment and more sustainable than the fossil fuels we are currently
using. Some problems that occur when looking for these ‘green’ alternatives are
that they are usually less energy dense, meaning it takes more of the
technology to produce the same amount of energy, and they are expensive to
build and maintain. A professor at MIT, Vladimir Bulović, is looking to address
these problems with his team.
Professor
Bulović is the Chair in Emerging Technology and the MIT School of Engineering’s
Associate Dean for Innovation. His job description essentially boils down to
being as creative as possible to solve today’s scientific problems. One of his
most recent innovations came in the form of the thinnest and lightest solar
cells ever made. While light and flexible cells have been made before, these
cells are capable of producing 6 watts of power per gram, which is about 400
times the energy density of standard glass-covered solar cells. That is a
substantial difference. They can also be placed on the surface of a bubble
without it bursting, which is pretty cool. Gardner defines divergent thinking
as solving a puzzle in a manner in which the person creates many different,
possibly unique, associations (p. 20). This is exactly what Bulović and his
team, whom he credits for helping him through consistent bouncing of ideas, have done in
the field of alternative energy.
.
Bulović and
his team at MIT took a new approach in creating their power cell which they
give credit for this remarkable result. They produced the substrate (the
supporting layer) and the protective top layer at the same time, all but
eliminating the time in which the cell can be contaminated or damaged (both of
which would result in a decrease in energy density). This is a completely new
method as most power cells have the substrate and the device created at
separate times, then handled separately (increasing the likelihood of damage or
contamination).
This study
could have enormous implications in sustainable energy production. It can be
used in a range of technology, from solar powered cell phones to extremely
lightweight wearables. However, Bulović and his team have yet to use materials
used in consumer goods yet to test these theories so it is somewhat unsure that
the results will be exactly the same. Professor Bulović is confident that the
results will carry over regardless of the material used and we should all be
hoping he is correct.
Works Cited:
http://www.gizmag.com/lightest-thinnest-solar-cells-mit/42092/Creating Minds by Howard Gardner
What an interesting read! I really enjoyed learning about what Bulović and his team are doing. I am very eager to see this innovation become a common occurrence in consumer goods. It is far too often that I hear about or see new inventions that never seem to make it into the lives of the public. This is one creation that I believe could have a strong impact on the health of our plant and I hope that it has the chance to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThese solar panels could change how we think about energy forever. It's such a wonderful thought that one day we may not need to be as dependent on things that destroy our planet. Scientific creativity can be so applicable and valuable!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about Professor Bulović's work! It is fascinating that such a small object can provide so much energy - what a great example of using divergent thinking to create new, innovative solution to energy generation. Also, I am really interested in seeing how the new simultaneous production of the substrate and the protective layer; hopefully this will be adopted by other scientists in the future.
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