UK develops new solar cell energy efficiency or can increase by more than 25%

Compared with traditional silicon cells, scientists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom have developed a new type of solar cell that can increase energy efficiency by more than 25%. However, this technology still requires two to three years for commercial feasibility assessment.

According to a Reuters report, researchers published an article in the Nanometer Express, an authoritative journal for nanoscience, that the new battery can convert 44% of solar energy into electricity, which is 29% more efficient than the traditional conversion of solar cells with 34%.

In fact, solar cells absorb energy from photons through semiconductor materials such as silicon to excite electrons and generate electrical energy. However, silicon crystal cells cannot extract all of the energy in a photon, and most of the blue photons that carry more energy are lost. Usually, solar cells can generate one electron from each captured photon.

But Bruno Ehrler, principal of the study, said: "In the first hybrid solar cell, we used a phenomenon known as singlet exciton fission, in organic materials, Two photons produce two electrons."

Hybrid batteries are not new. People started developing them as early as 1996. Before the commercialization, the energy efficiency of such batteries needs to be further improved and stabilized. Eller said: “Our battery is developed for the first time, so it is difficult to assess when it can be commercialized. Currently, Eight19 and the research team are working closely together. Once the battery can be commercialized, we will start production immediately. We need to conduct in-depth Investigations to assess its feasibility may take two to three years."

Reuters said that in the past few years, the price of silicon crystal panels has been significantly reduced, and manufacturers' profits have also dropped, but at the same time it also encourages companies to produce cheaper products. Today, emerging technologies such as poly-photovoltaic solar energy, which can use solar energy many times, have won the industry’s favor because of their lower prices compared to traditional solar panels.

Eller said that the new hybrid solar cell will also help reduce costs. He said: “Because our materials can be processed in a full-volume process, we expect that the cost of new batteries will be much lower than that of conventional silicon cells. From the industrial level, the cost of the latter has exceeded the cost of using surface organic layers. However, our findings are still in its infancy, so the final cost and product structure are still unpredictable."