Solar power projects not only need to be sited in regions with high sunshine intensity, but also need to consider the investment of power generation equipment. Therefore, it is very difficult for underdeveloped regions to start such projects. A few days ago, the British company "Eighthight Cambridge" is developing a new type of plastic solar cell based on organic semiconductor materials to help these poor areas, so that they can also use clean green energy.


Plastic19 solar cells developed by British company Eight19. (From Environment News Network)

In fact, organic semiconductor materials are rich in source, their light absorption is more than 100 times that of silicon, and the adjustment of absorption spectrum of chemical synthesis and deposition in solution environment can make organic solar photovoltaic panels thinner. The unique performance of organic semiconductors is in stark contrast to traditional silicon inorganic semiconductors. The former has both the potential for further reduction in development costs and the high degree of flexibility and portability.

In use, customers only need to pay $ 10 to get a 3-watt solar panel and a matching battery, two LED lights, a mobile phone charging device and a module that can be purchased directly using mobile phones. Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO of Eight19, said: “For example, in Kenya, the cost of solar electricity provided by us is about US$1 a week. Local people said that This way, they can save about $2 a week for kerosene, plus $1 to $1.5 a week for mobile phone charging." ($1 is about $6.34***)

Bransfield-Garth also said: "Plastic solar cells will significantly reduce the overall installation cost of the equipment. In the UK, if you put solar cells on the roof, about half of the cost is spent on installing frames, connecting lines, Metal products and other related materials.In the African Republic of Malawi, you can't put a 30 kilogram solar panel on a traditional thatched roof, but if you use plastic film, you can effortlessly Stick it on it."

According to Bransfield-Gass, there are no more than 1 billion people in the world with or without electricity supply, and there are only 300 million in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, and these areas will be the focus of his company. Since the installation of the first equipment in Kenya in September 2011, the company has installed installations in Malawi, Zambia and southern Sudan.

Bransfield Gass said: “The original intention of us to do this was to avoid the production of kerosene fumes. The fumes from the combustion of kerosene can cause 1.5 million deaths per year.” In Africa, the use of kerosene lighting is very common, because it The cost is relatively low.

In underdeveloped areas, people can use the multi-year, evenly distributed method to pay for the full cost of solar energy equipment. Bransfield-Gas said: "We are not developing business in the underdeveloped regions of the world, but we are operating through a business model. We can charge only $1 a week on the basis that they pay half of the cost of kerosene. ."

If solar energy equipment is upgraded, people can either choose to buy only 3 watts of equipment or upgrade to a 10 watt system that is sufficient to support two lights and a radio. Eighth9 finally plans to install an 80-watt system to meet all the electricity needs of four lights, a radio, a TV, a sewing machine, and mobile phone charging.