Advances in solar energy could soon transform our daily lives in unprecedented ways. Indeed, by using perovskite instead of the usual silicon, researchers at Oxford have developed a new technology which could well eliminate the need traditional solar panels.
Driving this innovation are ultra-thin, flexible solar cells, capable of generating power while attaching to almost any surface. Ce material innovative, whose thickness is only one micron, is one hundred and fifty times thinner than solar panels in silicon current.
This new process uses stacked layers of photosensitive materials to capture a wider range of the light spectrum. This so-called multi-junction approach makes it possible to achieve an energy efficiency of more than 27%, equivalent to that of the most efficient silicon photovoltaic panels. In less than five years, the efficiency of these cells has increased fourfold, reaching levels close to the theoretical limit of single-layer solar panels. Researchers estimate that with future improvements, this technology could surpass 45% efficiency.
Unlike conventional solar panels, this new material is so flexible that it can be applied to everyday objects such as backpacks, cars or even cell phones. This versatility could significantly reduce the need for traditional solar panels and specialized solar farms.
Cost reduction is also on the agenda. Since 2010, the cost of solar electricity has fallen by almost 90%, making solar energy almost three times cheaper than that from fossil fuels. New technologies, such as perovskite cells, promise to lower these costs further.
The commercial potential of this technology is already palpable. Oxford PV, a company spun out from the University of Oxford, has launched a production line large scale for perovskite solar cells, marking an important step towards commercialization. The future of solar panels could therefore well rest on these innovations which promise to make solar energy accessible everywhere and at any time.
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