Insolight is all set to redefine solar energy: The company designs hyper-efficient solar panels

Researchers have long been working hard to extract as much power as possible out of sunshine.  Insolight, a spinoff from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, is coming up with highly efficient solar panels, the one that will redefine solar energy. The company has been working on this project for a few years now and the final product is almost ready to hit consumers’ roofs.

Usually, when solar cells collect sunlight on their entire surface, less than 20% of energy is converted into electricity, and the remaining is lost in the process. While there are more efficient cells available in the market, but they are generally made from exotic material, hence they are expensive and are used for industrial purposes.

Insolight came with a pathbreaking idea and it is quite simple! The solar cells used in satellites or in other high-energy industrial requirements are expensive as they cannot afford to cut on the cost. Their plan was to use those cells, but in a tiny amount and concentrate the sunlight on those. That way, it won’t burn holes in the pocket.

Small but hyper-efficient cells are used and above them,a honeycomb-shaped lens is placed, which bends the light into a narrow beam concentrating them only on the cells. Also, the cell layer moves slowly in the direction of the sun’s movement to trap the beams effectively. “Our panels were hooked up to the grid and monitored continually. They kept working without a hitch through heat waves, storms, and winter weather,” said Mathiu Ackermann, the company’s CTO.“This hybrid approach is particularly effective when it’s cloudy and the sunlight is less concentrated since it can keep generating power even under diffuse light rays.”

The Insolight’s solar energy has achieved 37% efficiency in the test, and around 30% in its commercial designs. That’s not bad at all!