UCSC’s Solar Breakthrough
Source: SantaCruz.com
Scientists bring together farm fields and next-level tech with new solar panels that sustain crops while creating electricity
With the new WSPV solar technology developed at UCSC, it would take only 4 percent of U.S. agricultural land to supply the amount of energy used annually in this country.
Truly renewable resources and self-sustaining systems are few and far between. But what if you could have one in your garden? Imagine strolling through your back yard, past the calming sound of your cherub fountain, breathing in the smell of fresh earth. You enter your greenhouse, and a fan gently blows air into your face. Your spinach and lettuce are looking good, and even the artichokes are coming along. Languid ladybugs and fragrant flowers live in happy harmony.
In this near-future scene, you’ll be happy with your power bill, too. The fountain, the fan and the pumps watering your garden will all be powered by the greenhouse itself.
A team of scientific innovators from UCSC has created a self-sustaining system like this, using a new generation of solar panels. These devices trap just part of the sun’s light to produce electricity. The rest passes through, nourishing the growing plants underneath.
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WSPVs use a pigment called LR305, which catches only green and blue wavelengths. Plants do not absorb green light. Instead, they reflect it, which is why they appear green. By taking light that plants don’t use for photosynthesis to generate electricity, the panels allow plants underneath to grow, flower and fruit.
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Read more: http://www.santacruz.com/news/2013/08/06/ucscs_solar_breakthrough
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Carry on UCSC!
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