Researchers at Oxford University’s Physics Department have developed an innovative new solar material that could change how we harness solar energy.
Unlike traditional silicon-based solar panels, this new material is ultra-thin, flexible, and can be applied to almost any surface, from rucksacks to cars to mobile phones.
This breakthrough could reduce the need for large solar farms and make solar energy more accessible and affordable.
The researchers have achieved this by using a cutting-edge technique called the “multi-junction” approach, which stacks multiple layers of light-absorbing materials into a single solar cell.
This method allows the material to capture a broader range of sunlight, resulting in more energy being generated from the same amount of light.
Dr. Shuaifeng Hu, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Oxford University, explained that this new approach has dramatically increased the efficiency of solar energy conversion.
“In just five years, we’ve raised power conversion efficiency from around 6% to over 27%, which is on par with the best silicon-based solar panels available today,” Dr. Hu said. “We believe that, in the future, this technique could push efficiency beyond 45%.”
The new material is only about one micron thick, making it 150 times thinner than a standard silicon wafer. This thinness, combined with its flexibility, means it can be applied to a wide variety of surfaces, not just traditional solar panels.
“We’ve shown that we can match and even surpass silicon in performance, while also gaining the flexibility to coat almost any surface,” said Dr. Junke Wang, another researcher on the team.
The potential applications for this technology are vast. Imagine generating solar power from the roof of your car, the walls of buildings, or even the back of your mobile phone.
As more surfaces can be coated with this material, the need for large, dedicated solar farms could decrease, leading to more widespread adoption of solar energy in everyday life.
This new approach could also continue to drive down the cost of solar power. Since 2010, the global cost of solar electricity has dropped by almost 90%, making it cheaper than electricity generated from fossil fuels.
Innovations like this thin-film solar material promise even further cost reductions by reducing the reliance on expensive silicon-based panels.
The Oxford researchers are part of a larger team led by Professor Henry Snaith, a pioneer in renewable energy.
Their work has already begun to impact various industries, from utilities to construction to car manufacturing. Oxford PV, a company spun out of the university, has even started large-scale manufacturing of these new solar cells in Germany, making them the first in the world to do so.
However, Professor Snaith noted that the UK risks falling behind in this fast-growing industry without better support for converting innovation into large-scale manufacturing.
“While the UK has focused on building new solar farms, the real growth will come from commercializing innovations like ours,” he said. “We hope that the newly-created British Energy will prioritize this to ensure the UK leads in the global green economy.”
