Around 76% of American consumers believe that there needs to increase the renewable energy generation capacity, according to a Consumer Reports survey.
So the renewable energy sector, like those in the solar power industry, are coming up with advancements geared to meet the demand.
As it turns out, in the advancement of solar energy, titanium has played a significant role.
Titanium Strength and Abundance
Solar power, in its many different forms, requires a structure such as a solar PV system to turn the sunlight into electricity and a battery system to store the gathered clean energy for the night or for days without sun.
That structure requires materials and it just so happens that good material can be difficult to come by—at least, it was until scientists turned their eyes toward titanium.
Titanium is an ideal metal to use in structures as it is strong, but is less dense than most metals and it reacts well in thermal conduction. Titanium is also the 4th most abundant metal within the Earth’s crust, according to the US Department of Energy.
In the lab, researchers have already produced titanium-based solar cells that are producing clean electricity even if they are very small.
So it isn’t at all surprising that titanium sheet is commonly found and used in solar power technologies.
Solar Energy Absorption Rate
Beyond its latent form, titanium has a naturally occurring oxide that helps with solar energy. Titanium dioxide also known as ‘titania’ is synthesized from titanium for device-grade applications. It is non-toxic, affordable, and environmentally friendly, according to the Internal Journal of Chemical Studies.
Researchers from UCLA found that when they added boron oxide to titanium dioxide, they boosted the absorption rate of solar cells. Increasing the ability to capture more light allows for more efficient solar power systems to be created. Most of the solar power farms and technologies that exist today make use of titanium and titanium dioxide.
Corrosion Resistance
As an alloy, titanium can withstand some of the most severe weather conditions known to man, according to Timet.
This way, the titanium alloy used to create solar cells can withstand practically any environmental condition specific to our planet, from very strong winds to hurricanes, from snowfall to blizzard, and so on.
This ensures that solar panels and other forms of solar power structures remain unbothered even during very severe weather conditions.
What this means for consumers is that their initial investment in a home solar grid is one that is resistant to rust, corrosion, and damage beyond those that may directly cause structural damage like a tree falling on it or the destruction of what it’s been fixed on.
Conclusion
Solar energy will continue to play a big part in sustainable energy. If today’s technological advancements are a basis for anything, scientists and industries will continue to test and discover better uses for materials that we presently have but may not use.
Big kudos for titanium and the role it plays in all the solar energy improvements that consumers everywhere get to enjoy.
