3D Printing can indeed help the Solar Power Industry too!

     The exact definition of the term "3-Dimension Printing" would be referred to as a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape of a digital model by using an additive process, which is the process of layers of material being laid down successively in different types of forms. Since the 21st century has begun, 3D printing has been used increasingly in various types of industries in society such as jewelry, dentistry, prototyping and even human organs.
     Energy strategist John Licata, whom also founded Blue Phoenix Inc., an independent energy and metals research company, comments his enthusiasm in seeing potential of how 3D printing can revolutionize solar panel and photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing. In this present stage of the rising solar power industry, it is accurate to point out that solar panels is somewhat lacking in energy storage and thus, solar cells must be developed to be more sustainable.
     With this complexity of solar power, John Licata has brought to our attention of possibly producing 3D solar cells, which, in turn, can capture more sunlight directly than with conventional PV cells. He believes that "they are more precise (using copper, indium, gallium, selenide: CIGS), less complex and has less weight." Researchers in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe they can be 20% more efficient than solar panels.
     Another key factor he points out is the cost, which if 3D printing is successful in producing more efficient solar cells, it could drop the production cost by 50% (because they wouldn't be using costly materials as glass, poly-silicon, or indium). Not only this but he believes it would provide us more convenience in the future because it may be able to produce extremely thin solar cells onto paper, plastic or even fabric instead of the expensive glass used in solar panels. This, he theorizes, would help produce mass appeal for solar energy if it can be turned into wearable high-tech clothing, radios or other electronics. Perhaps in the future, we may find 3D printing incorporated with the use of solar power energy, who knows what the future holds for us.