Scientists found out how to make solar panels more affordable, potentially allowing more countries to tap green energy.
City University of Hong Kong scientists used various material science solutions to produce perovskite solar cells “like printing newspapers.”
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They said they could create 1,000 solar panels daily. Moreover, the semi-transparent material can function as light-absorbing glass windows, enabling more “urban solar farms” worldwide.
What are the potential uses of these solar panels?
The official CityHK website reported more details about the solar panels. CityUHK Materials Science Professor Alex Jen Kwan-yue led the solar panel research team and published their findings on Nature Energy.
It explained their methodology in detail, but here’s the gist:
“The team designed a series of organic redox mediators with appropriate chemical potentials to selectively reduce iodine and oxidize metals.”
“The integrated cells retain over 90% of their initial Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) after 500 hours of operation.”
More importantly, their method can produce 1,000 solar panels daily, matching its production to newspaper printing. Moreover, it has numerous potential applications.
For example, its semi-transparency makes it a viable material for light-absorbing glass windows. As a result, the CityHK website says it may enable “urban solar farms” on high-rise buildings.
These facilities might enable huge cities to produce electricity without relying heavily on power stations. Also, the science news website TechXplore says these solar panels can absorb energy under weak indoor light.
People may also install them into smaller machines, potentially making more devices eco-friendly. Startup HKTech Solar Limited recognizes these possibilities, so it will be in charge of realizing its potential.
Dr. Francis Lin, a postdoctoral student of Professor Jen at CityUHK, will oversee these applications. Also, the team wants to set up a pilot production line that will produce 25 megawatts annually next year.