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Solar Power from ‘the dark side’ Unlocked by a new formula

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Companies are moving toward installing more double-sided solar panels, such as this one functioning as the canopy of a Shell gas station in Atlanta, Georgia. A new formula reveals exactly how much more electricity double-sided panels can generate compared to conventional single-sided panels, helping to better inform how the panels are designed. (Lumos Solar photo)

Engineers calculate the ultimate potential of next-generation solar panels. Most of today’s solar panels capture sunlight and convert it to electricity only from the side facing the sky. If the dark underside of a solar panel could also convert sunlight reflected off the ground, even more electricity might be generated.

Double-sided solar cells are already enabling panels to sit vertically on land or rooftops and even ho...

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