A new performance record has been set for organic solar cells
In a landmark achievement that revolutionizes the field of organic solar cells, researchers at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) in Germany have shattered the previous efficiency record for organic solar cells, achieving a remarkable conversion rate of 14%. .46% for these innovative photovoltaic devices. This revolutionary discovery, published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy, marks a fundamental step towards the widespread adoption of organic solar cells, paving the way for a future of flexible, accessible and seamlessly integrated solar solutions.
Organic solar cells, unlike their silicon counterparts, harness the energy of sunlight using organic materials, mainly polymers. These materials offer several inherent benefits, including flexibility, transparency and reduced material costs. However, their efficiency has always been lower than that of silicon solar cells, much lower
To achieve this remarkable efficiency, the FAU team employed a combination of cutting-edge materials and innovative manufacturing techniques. They used a new polymer that has superior light-absorbing capabilities, maximizing the conversion of sunlight into electricity. In parallel, they developed a sophisticated laser-assisted manufacturing process that minimizes wasted space within the solar cell structure, improving overall efficiency.
What the new record means
Achieving this milestone of 14.46% efficiency represents a significant leap forward for organic solar cell technology. It brings these energy storage marvels closer to parity with silicon solar cells, the current industry standard. We remind you that the theoretical maximum yield of crystalline silicon solar cells is 28%-29% and in practice 26%.
Therefore the performance of organic cells is still not comparable with that of silicon cells, but the physical characteristics of organic cells are much superior, and so are the economic ones. Their flexibility makes them suitable for adapting to various surfaces, including curved or irregularly shaped structures. Their transparency allows them to integrate seamlessly into windows and other transparent materials, generating electricity and maintaining visibility. Furthermore, the relatively low cost of organic solar cells compared to their silicon counterparts makes them attractive for a wider range of applications.
Powering the future with organic solar cells
This new efficiency opens the way to a plethora of practical applications for organic solar cells. They have immense potential for powering wearables and smartphones, eliminating the need for bulky batteries and extending the life of devices. Additionally, their ability to generate electricity from windows and other transparent surfaces opens up the possibility of harnessing renewable energy from buildings and structures.
So the future of energy can be very different with the use of organic cells, which would allow uses that were previously unattainable, even if with a lower yield per hour.
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The article Set a new performance record for organic solar cells comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/stabilito-un-nuovo-record-di-rendimento-per-le-celle-solari-organiche/ on Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:45 +0000.