Scientists led by Professor Vivian Alberts at the University of Johannesburg (South Africa) have developed a low-cost, super-efficient photovoltaic solar panel which will enable homes to source all of their electricity needs, including cookers and boilers, from solar power all year round. The technology has been patented worldwide. Leading solar energy company IFE Solar Systems, which invested over 500 million rand (£36 million) in the solar panel’s development, is set to manufacture half a million units before the end of 2006.

The new solar panels are 70 times thinner than and cost a fifth of the price (58 pence a watt) of current silicon solar panels. They even generate electricity without direct sunlight. For a house in Cape Town (South Africa), a typical system for a Green low energy-using household would pay for itself in one year, a system for an energy-inefficient house with high electricity consumers in two to three years. As the new copper-indium(gallium)-diselenide alloy solar panels should function for around 20 years, this offers 17-19 years of free electricity. In London, which receives fewer hours of (weaker) sunshine, it would take perhaps six to seven years to recoup the initial outlay.

Finally, because the new alloy can be applied to virtually all flexible surfaces, the range of uses to which it could be put are limited only by our imagination.

Ed.- For more information contact: Mrs Traemann at Johanna Solar Technology on 0049 33 81 79 75 127
email info@johanna-solar.com