New generation solar panels

The BBC reports on a new study by Chinese researchers regarding the development of a new generation of solar cells. Manufacturers have long used silicon to make solar panels because the material was the most efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. But organic photovoltaics, made from carbon and plastic, promise a cheaper way of generating electricity. The new solar cells can be compared to OLED technology, which is currently widely used for high-end TVs, and offers a wide range of possibilities. According to the researchers, they could be used on the roofs of cars, and in clothes, even in glasses to charge your phone while you are out and about. Furthermore, they offer huge potential for buildings as they are lightweight so might be ideal for deploying on the roofs of houses in developing countries where structures might not suit heavy silicon.

Read the full article on bbc.com

See our Solar Visuals here.

Because we have a weakness for statistics, we like Citylab’s 12 graphs on home ownership in the U.S. This piece shows how many homeownership trends have remained largely the same since 1960—with a few noteworthy shifts. For example: people in their 20s have always been more likely to rent than to own, but there has been some change in the age when people shift from renters to owners. In 1980, the stats show, young-adult Baby Boomers were much more likely to own a home than today’s Millennials.

Check all graphs on citylab.com here