why don't we take a cue from mother nature and make our soar panels like trees? thousands of leaves or needle (like a pine tree) instead of one big flat panel? I mean it seems to work pretty good for all the plants i see why would it not work for us. It would be aesthetically pleasing and with the right engineering wouldn't it make them not have to worry about tracking the sun? i already have some ideas about the process of making them just no available labratory.
Because we and the trees are trying to solve a different problem. We want electricity, a tree wants light (and some heat) for photosynthesis. In getting the electricity we use Silicon for solar panels. (Sometimes Gallium Arsenide). And we exploit the same thing in Silicon that allows them to be computer chips. The fact that they conduct differently when voltage is applied. But for a solar panel that is done essentially in reverse. We GET a voltage difference (electricity) from shoving energy through it. Look up junction bias on google or yahoo for explanation. But the DESIGN problem is: You have to couple these panels together the right way - according to their bias. You can't string them up willy nilly. There is a pattern. And when one breaks in this pattern. (I mean when the actual panel cracks, which they do easily as they are brittle). It can change the overall bias. This can make even be worse than if it was removed, it can actually fight against the working ones. The efficiency is there in arranging them like a tree, but the practicality of maintenance would be daunting.
