Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

What Will It Take To Make Solar Panels Cool?, Luke Fateiger, Cameron A. Lane, M. Donald Rollings, Cameron J. Smith-Freedman

Student Showcase

With the predicted results of climate change looming, humanity must do all it can to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Maintaining a habitable environment along with the high quality of living associated with developed nations requires investment in renewable energy. Because national governments often fail to make responsible decisions for their country's future, this burden falls to institutions like UMass Amherst. Although costly investments like solar panels substantially improve the sustainability of campus, some innovative improvements of existing solar energy infrastructure can go a long way. For example, when solar panels heat up they lose photovoltaic efficiency. We propose that UMass …