Spectral filtering copper-coated hibiscus-butanol extract for photovoltaic cells

The efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) panel was queried in this research. Past research on spectra response has shown that the maximum solar response, i.e. using color filters is 24%. This result is not very good for a PV system exposed to the harsh weather condition in any part of the African continent. In this research, the bio-filter was used to perform spectral filtering of harmful solar radiation hitting the surface of the solar PV panel. The bio-filter was synthesized from the extract of the hibiscus flower. Hibiscus is a common plant found in almost all parts of Africa. The results show that the bio-filter has a relative efficiency of 94%. This makes the product a novel to be adopted in Africa and other tropical belts to elongate the life span and performance of the solar photovoltaic panel.