Solar energy is fast becoming one of the most important sources of electricity generation in the US, with 7% of Americans using it to power their homes. However, while solar power affords a viable and green alternative to traditional energy production methods, scientists are still working to improve the efficiency of the solar panel manufacturing process.

Solar panels consist of numerous solar cells, typically made from silicon. Although silicon is the standard material, its production and processing are energy-intensive, making setting up of new manufacturing facilities costly.
While scientists in the US have long been aware of the need to come up with new, cost-effective material to boost solar cell production domestically, a team of researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Materials Science and Engineering may just have come up with a solution.