New "kirigami" design enhances solar panels' sunlight tracking efficiency

A new design pattern of solar panels can potentially improve their ability to harvest solar energy, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communication.

Conventional methods for tracking the sun so that solar energy can be harvested throughout the day involve expensive and bulky equipment to facilitate tilting the solar panels, while at the same time supporting the system's weight. Such designs result in overall efficiency losses.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have come up with a new design they called "kirigami", which mimics the Japanese art of paper cutting.

By cutting a two-dimensional pattern into a solar cell and stretching it, the researchers can produce tilted solar cell arrays in three dimensions.

The researchers say that the "kirigami" structures may be used as a simple, low-cost, lightweight, and low-profile method to track solar position, thereby maximizing solar power generation.

The kirigami-enabled systems are also cost-effective and scalable in both fabrication and materials, and similar design rules may be extended for use in a wide range of optical and mechanical applications, according to the researchers. Endit