Alternative Copper Solar Panels
SunDrive is Creating Solar Panels with No Silver Included
Colin Smith — February 21, 2024
'SunDrive' is an Australian energy startup based in Sydney. The company recently raised A$11 million to continue developing and expand the development of its new copper-based solar power cells. SunDrive drew attention to the problem in the solar power industry, which is that solar power contributes only 2% of power to the grid annually, but consumes 20% of the industrial silver produced annually, which leads to a sustainability concern.
As a result, SunDrive has opted for copper in its solar cells instead, which it states are more cost-effective and power-efficient, resulting in both thinner wafers and improved conductivity. Additionally, the SunDrive copper-based solar power cells enable higher electrode density for sunlight absorption. All the while, these cells require less silicon and are more affordable to produce, which, at scale, could make a noticeable difference to the solar energy industry.
