Biomimicry: a new frontier of Innovation

Photovoltaics represents the process closest to artificial photosynthesis available to humans. The electricity obtained, beyond domestic use, is used in solar lamps, parking meters, emergency telephones, trash compactors, temporary traffic signs, charging stations, and remote guard posts and signals.
Moreover, it is also used in solar panel of solar buses and cars to provide electricity to run the vehicle motor. In the agricultural sector, photovoltaic electricity is widely used in solar drying to dry crops faster. It is also used to generate electricity to run water pumps and is less expensive than new electric lines for providing power to remote locations.
At last, in industrial sector, photovoltaic energy is exploited in the aerospace & defence sector to generate electricity for satellites in space. These factors are anticipated to increase the demand for photovoltaic energy.

Considering the increasing energy demand due to the rising population, there is a crescent need for renewable energy, coupled with favourable government regulations. These regulations focus on the reduced dependency of fossil fuels and help control environmental pollution.
In addition, reduction of the carbon footprint and low-cost energy generation are expected to boost photovoltaic demand and these factors are also expected to guarantee the growth of the photovoltaic industry.
From the technological point of view, the photovoltaic effect is the result of two phases: the conversion of electromagnetic radiation into chemical energy in particular materials and the transformation of this chemical energy into electrical energy by means of suitable devices called solar cells.
Solar cells are made with materials that become conductors following the absorption of the energy of the photons that make up the light radiation.
The cells allow the photogenerated electrons to flow selectively towards the polarity metallic contacts; in this way electrical current is created and it can be collected in an external circuit. The individual solar cells are connected to each other to form modules. The modules can be used individually, or electrically connected in photovoltaic fields.
The photovoltaic systems are of various types: accumulation through battery parks, directly connected to the electricity grid or for use on small users.
Although there were made big steps forward in this technology, its application is not so widespread, in fact it counted only 1,7% of total energy production in 2017 (see the graph above).