Scientists are continuously looking for a way to make solar power cheaper, and they may have found it - in iron pyrite.

Iron pyrite, or fool’s gold, is just one of the alternatives to silicon that’s being researched for use in solar panels.

From BusinessGreen:

Iron pyrite, copper sulphide and copper oxide were at the top of the list of potential silicon and thin film replacements, with iron pyrite – more commonly known as fool’s gold – deemed the leading candidate in terms of both cost and abundance.

Of the 23 semiconductors studied, Berkeley scientists found that 12 of them are more plentiful than silicone and 9 would be cheaper to use.

Picture via Nojhan