Clean technology: Graphene - game changer for solar energy?

The silicon solar panel may become a thing of the past if recent research into the properties of graphene holds true.Researchers at the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain have found that the single-cell-thick graphene has the ability to convert photons (light) to electrons (electricity) with a higher efficiency than the traditional silicon. Silicon generates a single electron for each photon absorbed, where graphene is proving to generate multiple electrons from each photon.

The findings may also have applications for cameras, medical sensors and night vision optics.