A coating that's just 1 micron thick can be applied to almost any surface
Forward-looking: Oxford University researchers have developed a flexible perovskite material about 100 times thinner than a human hair that can generate solar electricity just as efficiently as traditional silicon panels. Unlike those rigid, single-purpose slabs, this material can coat just about any surface, such as cars, clothing, buildings, and even mobile devices.
Panchromatic, ultra-thin solar cells could soon become reality
What just happened? The solar energy revolution might be about to shift into an even higher gear. Researchers in Germany have developed a groundbreaking new light-harvesting system that could drive a huge leap in solar cell efficiency by absorbing light across the entire visible range.
Forward-looking: Traditional solar power cells are based on a silicon semiconductor compound, which is known to have a theoretical maximum efficiency of 29 percent in converting sunlight into electric energy. However, by incorporating a second perovskite layer onto the base silicon layer, solar cells have the potential to surpass this efficiency threshold in the near future.
Forward-looking: Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are cheap, transparent, and flexible. The promising technology set a new record in efficiency for turning visible light into electric energy, making it viable for use as energy-collecting windows.