Scientists at Oxford University may have made a significant breakthrough in expanding access to solar energy. Researchers from the university’s physics department have developed an ultra-thin material that could replace traditional, bulky silicon-based solar panels.
This new technology involves a flexible film that can be applied to the exterior of objects exposed to sunlight, offering a more versatile and efficient alternative to current solar energy solutions.
The innovative material is composed of layers of light-absorbing perovskite stacked together to form a film just over one micron thick. Remarkably, this film is 150 times thinner than conventional silicon wafers, yet it can generate 5 percent more energy efficiency than traditional single-layer silicon photovoltaics, according to Oxford University’s statement.
Dr Shauifeng Hu, a postdoctoral fellow at Oxford, has expressed optimism about this approach’s potential, suggesting that it could eventually enable photovoltaic devices to achieve energy efficiencies exceeding 45 percent. This exciting potential opens up a world of possibilities for the future of solar energy.
This technological advancement could also significantly reduce the cost of solar energy. The film’s ultra-thin and flexible nature allows it to be applied to nearly any surface, minimizing construction and installation expenses. This could increase the number of solar energy farms, further promoting sustainable energy sources.
However, the technology is still in the research phase, and questions remain about the long-term stability of the perovskite-based panels. While perovskite has shown impressive gains in efficiency, jumping from 6 to 27 percent in just five years, its stability remains a concern.
The US Department of Energy and a 2016 study published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells have highlighted that perovskite’s sensitivity to moisture can lead to poor stability, which has been a limiting factor compared to more established photovoltaic technologies.
Despite these challenges, solar energy has become increasingly affordable over the past decade. According to Global Change Data Lab data, the cost of solar photovoltaic technology has dropped by 90 percent in the last 10 years. This cost reduction has contributed to the growth of solar energy farms worldwide.
In recent developments, the US Department of Energy announced plans to convert an 8,000-acre site, once part of the Manhattan Project’s nuclear weapons program, into a solar farm.
Additionally, Google has made a significant investment in a Taiwanese solar company to develop a 1-gigawatt pipeline in the region. These initiatives highlight the ongoing global commitment to expanding solar energy infrastructure and the potential impact of new technologies like the one being developed at Oxford University.
