How do solar panels work?
How do solar panels work? Try and see if you can generate more electricity from the sun than your friend can.
What can we see in the stand?
The stand shows a villa with solar panels on its roof. The solar panels are made up of solar cells that produce electricity when the Sun shines on them. The amount of electricity produced depends on the angle that the sunlight hits the solar cells and whether there is anything shading the panels.
The stand is split into two halves, so you can compete with a friend to determine the best angle for the light from the torch to charge an electric car the fastest. You can test how electricity production is affected by clouds that partially shade the panels or a tree that cuts off virtually all light.
The villa and the car in the stand were made with a 3D printer. They were created by melting a thread made of plastic and depositing it, layer upon layer, to build up each model in the stand.
What is Uppsala University doing in this area?
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering does research in a number of different areas, represented in this stand. The Solar Cell Technology division researches new materials for new types of solar cells that could be better, more sustainable and cheaper to produce than the ones we have today. There are also activities using solar cells, new technologies and solar cell applications in other divisions and departments at the University. The additive manufacturing used in 3D printing is also used in several research projects in the Applied Materials Science and Nanotechnology and Functional Materials divisions. New types of batteries that can be used in future electric cars are developed at the Department of Chemistry.
How is this used in the wider community?
Solar cells and electric cars are becoming part of everyday life here in Sweden, thanks to solar cell manufacturing having improved and become much cheaper over the past 20 years. Solar panels can easily be installed on buildings where the infrastructure for electricity is already in place.
Additive manufacturing has also become more accessible to the general public. Home 3D printers can be purchased today at technology and toy stores, and more advanced additive manufacturing technologies are used in industry.
The batteries used with solar panels have become better and more durable. Electric cars are now common on our streets and are an essential part of the green transition needed to meet Sweden’s climate goals and to become less dependent on fossil energy carriers.