Silicon solar cells dominate the photovoltaic market for “efficient” light-energy conversion. However, silicon is a semiconductor that has an indirect band gap which restricts its optical properties. Additionally, when combined with other factors such as thermalization losses and limited spectral absorption, the result is a theoretical efficiency ceiling of about 28%. We solved this problem by coating solar cells with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) of sizes ~15nm and we witnessed the absorbance of thin solar cells rise to that of thicker, more expensive ones. This increase is explained by the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and the Quantum Confinement effects. Moreover, coating solar cells with GNPs proved to be more cost effective rather than buying more expensive, thicker solar cells.