Scientists at Oxford University’s Physics Department have developed a groundbreaking solar technology that could transform the way we generate solar electricity. Their innovative approach eliminates the need for traditional silicon-based solar panels, instead utilizing a new, ultra-thin, and flexible material that can be applied to a variety of everyday objects.
A NEW ERA IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
The new technology revolves around a pioneering technique that involves stacking multiple light-absorbing layers into a single solar cell, known as a multi-junction approach. This method enables the harnessing of a broader range of the light spectrum, allowing more power to be generated from the same amount of sunlight.
HIGH EFFICIENCY AND VERSATILITY
For the first time, this ultra-thin material has been certified to deliver over 27% energy efficiency, matching the performance of traditional silicon photovoltaics. This certification comes from Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), a prestigious recognition ahead of the study’s official publication later this year.
Dr. Shuaifeng Hu, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Oxford University Physics, highlights the rapid progress made with this technology. “During just five years of experimenting with our stacking approach, we have raised power conversion efficiency from around 6% to over 27%, nearing the limits of current single-layer photovoltaics. We believe this approach could eventually achieve efficiencies exceeding 45%.”
A MATERIAL REVOLUTION: THIN, FLEXIBLE, AND ADAPTABLE
Unlike the rigid silicon wafers used in traditional solar panels, this new material is just over one micron thick, making it almost 150 times thinner. This incredible thinness allows it to be applied to virtually any surface—whether it’s the roof of a building, the body of a car, or even the back of a mobile phone.
Dr. Junke Wang, a Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Postdoc Fellow at Oxford, underscores the material’s potential: “By using new materials applied as a coating, we’ve shown we can replicate and out-perform silicon while also gaining flexibility. This is important because it promises more solar power without the need for silicon panels or specially-built solar farms.”
COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL AND GLOBAL IMPACT
The commercial implications of this technology are vast. Oxford PV, a company spun out of Oxford University in 2010 by Professor Henry Snaith, has already started large-scale manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics at its factory in Brandenburg-an-der-Havel, Germany. This facility is the world’s first volume manufacturing line for ‘perovskite-on-silicon’ tandem solar cells.
Professor Snaith, who is also the Professor of Renewable Energy at Oxford, expresses optimism about the global growth of this technology but cautions that the UK could miss out on leading this new industry due to a lack of fiscal and commercial incentives. “The UK has thought about solar energy purely in terms of building new solar farms, but the real growth will come from commercializing innovations. We hope that the newly-created British Energy will direct its attention to this.”
FUTURE OF SOLAR ENERGY
The development of this new solar technology represents a significant leap forward in the quest for sustainable energy. With global solar electricity costs having fallen by almost 90% since 2010, and this new technology promising even greater efficiency and versatility, the future of renewable energy looks brighter than ever.
Oxford University’s breakthrough in solar technology is poised to revolutionize the solar energy industry. By moving beyond silicon-based panels, this innovative approach promises not only higher efficiency but also unprecedented versatility, paving the way for a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, advancements like these offer a glimpse of the transformative potential of renewable energy.