Solar_cell_fabric
Solar cell fabric
Fabric that generates electricity with light
Solar cell fabric is a fabric with embedded photovoltaic cells which generate electricity when exposed to light.
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Structure-of-solar-cell-embedded-fabric-demonstrator-A-i-10-solar-cells-soldered-in.png/640px-Structure-of-solar-cell-embedded-fabric-demonstrator-A-i-10-solar-cells-soldered-in.png)
Traditional silicon based solar cells are expensive to manufacture, rigid and fragile. Although less efficient, thin-film cells and organic polymer based cells can be produced quickly and cheaply. They are also flexible and can be stitched onto fabric.
According to an article from New Scientist,[2] researchers have built a photovoltaic cell in the layers around a fiber, creating a tiny cylindrical cell. No longer limited to rooftops and poles, solar collection could work silently and unobtrusively from everyday objects.