The greenhouse effect caused by pollution from fossil-fuelled sources of electricity is getting worse.Environmental advocates, experts, and governments the world over are agitating for and aggressively searching for renewable energy alternatives.
This is so because the health-related problems that are traceable to pollution from these sources are by no means small.
However, the research and awareness conducted for alternative/renewable energy have tripled over the years and progress is made towards that direction.
One of such was a discovery made by a Nigerian Professor, Justus Nwaoga (Chief Technologist, Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka).
He discovered that a common weed Mimosa Pudica actually does make use of an unusually high amount of sunlight(solar energy) to its advantage.The plant had a compound called ‘Black Silicon” which is responsible for its unusually high sensitivity to sunlight.This discovery aided his creation of solar panels made from the pigment gotten from the plant.Hence, the panels were given the name ‘Mimosa Solar Panels”
As a recognition of his effort, he was nominated among ten African innovators for developing practical solutions to Africa’s power problem.
The advantage of this innovation is that it will aid manufacturers in creating easily-affordable, environmental –friendly solar panels for generating electricity.
To know more about solar panels and home systems, please click here
