With so many innovations on the horizon, the future of residential solar energy seems bright (pun intended). But which innovations are viable in the near future, and which ones are unrealistic endeavors?
In this article, we’ll explore four areas of innovation, learn what’s realistic, and examine how they will affect the residential solar industry.
- The Cyclical Trend of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
- The Boring but Important Innovations in Energy Storage
- AI is on Everyone’s Mind, but What is its Place in Renewable Energy?
- More Affordable Panels Could be a Game Changer in the Next Decade
The Cyclical Trend of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
You might have heard exciting news about transparent solar panels, photovoltaic glass, or a thin photovoltaic film. All of these innovations share the goal of integrating solar power into architecture without compromising aesthetics. Thus, the name building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).
Imagine a skyscraper covered in photovoltaic glass, generating power simply from standing. While it is a great vision for the future and potentially something to strive for, it’s not very realistic in the near term.
This is admittedly anecdotal, but we’ve seen countless startups promise a BIPV product that will “revolutionize the world.” Windows that generate energy from the heat of sunlight. Window blinds with tiny solar panels built into them. Thin photovoltaic film that you install on the exteriors of buildings.
So far, they have always turned out to be less efficient, more expensive, harder to maintain, and less viable for the average homeowner than traditional rooftop solar panels. These startups come and go. However, these trends spark interesting avenues for long-term innovations.
The Boring but Important Innovations in Energy Storage
The innovations that will change residential solar are the boring, incremental improvements in existing systems. Take batteries, for example. Energy storage is one-half of the equation. Batteries are crucial for providing an uninterrupted energy supply for off-grid systems.
We’ve recently seen the advancement and widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries. Years ago, a battery storage system relied on lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, or nickel-metal hydride batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are less expensive and comparatively lightweight while enjoying higher energy density and longer life cycles. They are an all-around improvement from batteries from 10 years ago.
Lithium-ion batteries, like the Tesla Powerwall, are now the industry standard. Other industries are also benefiting from better batteries. For example, thanks to lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles can increase their range while decreasing charge times.
Energy storage solutions will only continue to innovate. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, are making progress with solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. Lithium-sulfur batteries could offer higher energy density than today’s lithium-ion batteries while lowering costs. Drexel University’s School of Engineering is also experimenting with Lithium-sulfur batteries. So far, they’ve made great headway in increasing their performance, capacity, and lifespan.
AI is on Everyone’s Mind, but What is its Place in Renewable Energy?
Artificial intelligence is on everyone’s mind. So, how could AI help the residential solar industry? AI has the greatest potential to address logistical hurdles blocking renewable energy adoption. However, AI works best at scale. So, you might not see AI utilized for an individual’s home, but it can optimize utility-scale, community energy projects.
Weather is inherently chaotic. Sunlight and wind are unpredictable and intermittent. Their energy production fluctuates, making it challenging to match energy supply to demand. You might overproduce on sunny days but underproduce during long periods of bad weather. This leads to grid instability and wasted energy.
Enter AI-driven predictive analytics. Google and its subsidiary DeepMind trained a neural network to predict wind power output 36 hours in advance. That AI then made recommendations on optimizing hourly delivery commitments. Throughout Google’s experiment, the wind farm saw a 20% increase in value.
Some have misreported this success as a 20% increase in energy production. That’s not entirely true; it predicted wind forecasts a day in advance, and the grid adjusted accordingly. While it did not improve energy production, it did improve the wind farm’s value to the wider grid. Predictable power production is indispensable to the power grid.
IBM Research developed a similar AI focused on solar forecasting. This system predicted cloud movements and solar energy production with a 30% higher accuracy than traditional forecasting.
Energy forecasting is only one avenue for AI. Real-time data analytics could optimize grid management. Performance metrics and sensor data could advance system monitoring and help grid operators proactively maintain equipment. Furthermore, AI could use satellite imagery to locate prime spots for utility-scale solar farms.
AI has an exciting place in renewable energy’s future. Most AI integrations will be behind the scenes, but nonetheless, they are essential to the wide adoption of renewable energy.
More Affordable Panels Could be a Game Changer in the Next Decade
As Solar Installers, we want more people to have access to solar panels. Everyone deserves access to clean, renewable energy. The price of the initial investment remains the largest obstacle for most homeowners.
Enter the thrilling potential of perovskite solar cells. These experimental solar panels have demonstrated promising results in lab testing. However, their greatest advantage is in reducing manufacturing costs.
Most solar panels today are made of polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon. They require the mining of rare earth elements, which pollute heavily. Renewable energy’s dependence on rare earth elements has hindered its progress and increased its price tag. Perovskite solar cells use similar crystalline structures but with abundant materials like lead and tin.
Perovskite solar cells could greatly lower manufacturing costs and the final product’s price. However, this innovation is not without its hurdles. Perovskite solar cells’ biggest challenge is their longevity. So far, these cells degrade faster than traditional solar panels, leading to lower lifespans. As we learned from our blog post on solar maintenance, all panels naturally degrade when exposed to the elements. However, perovskite seems very susceptible to degradation.
There are also toxicity concerns. If a piece of equipment with lead degrades, then it risks lead contamination. That is a major safety concern manufacturers must overcome before we feel comfortable installing these on someone’s house.
Perovskite solar cells are not the only path toward more affordable solar panels. They just currently seem the most viable. Researchers are also experimenting with organic photovoltaics (OPV). These cells are made from carbon-based materials and could also lower costs. However, they are less efficient than current panels. Other researchers are exploring thin-film solar cells utilizing abundant elements like copper, zinc, tin, and sulfur. However, they face similar efficiency challenges.
If manufacturers can create reliable panels from these cheaper sources, you might enjoy affordable panels in the next decade.
Conclusion
We’re excited about the future of renewable energy, but let’s focus on the present. We’re only human, so don’t take our predictions as prophecies etched in stone.
Clean, green, renewable energy is available to you today. You can lower your energy bills for the next two decades. You can help the environment and support a healthy ecosystem. You can enjoy energy independence. Your future is bright with a residential solar system designed for you.
Of course, there is a lot to consider for such an investment. That’s why we want you to be informed. Start your journey with our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact us directly.
