Researchers at Oxford University’s Physics Department have significantly advanced solar technology, moving beyond the limitations of silicon-based solar panels. Their innovative approach involves a new power-generating material that can be coated onto everyday objects like cars, rucksacks, and mobile phones, potentially transforming how solar energy is harnessed.
The team, led by Dr. Shuaifeng Hu, has developed a thin-film perovskite material that is ultra-thin and flexible, measuring just over one micron thick. Unlike traditional silicon photovoltaics, this material can be applied to nearly any surface, broadening the scope of solar energy applications. Dr. Hu explains, “In just five years of experimenting with our stacking approach, we’ve increased power conversion efficiency from around 6% to over 27%, which is close to the limits of what single-layer photovoltaics can achieve today. We believe this approach could enable photovoltaic devices to achieve efficiencies exceeding 45%.”
The innovation lies in the multi-junction technique, which stacks multiple light-absorbing layers into a single solar cell. This allows the material to harness a wider light spectrum range, generating more power from the same amount of sunlight. Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has independently certified the material's energy efficiency, confirming its ability to match the performance of traditional silicon photovoltaics.
Dr. Junke Wang, a Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions Postdoc Fellow at Oxford, highlights the importance of this development: “By using new materials that can be applied as a coating, we’ve shown that we can replicate and even out-perform silicon while also gaining flexibility. This is crucial because it offers the potential for more solar power generation without relying on silicon-based panels or specially-built solar farms.”
The potential applications of this technology are vast. The ultra-thin material can be applied to surfaces ranging from building facades to vehicle roofs, integrating solar energy into everyday objects and structures. The versatility of the material, combined with its high efficiency, positions it as a game-changer in the renewable energy sector.
Henry Snaith, Professor of Renewable Energy at Oxford, sees this innovation as the foundation for a new industry. “The latest developments in solar materials and techniques demonstrated in our labs could become the platform for a new industry, manufacturing materials to generate solar energy more sustainably and cost-effectively by using existing buildings, vehicles, and objects,” he says.
The researchers believe that their approach will further reduce the cost of solar energy, building on a global trend that has already seen the average price of solar electricity fall by nearly 90% since 2010. This technology could save additional costs by reducing the need for silicon panels and dedicated solar farms.
Oxford PV, a spin-out company from Oxford University founded by Professor Snaith, has already begun large-scale manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics at its factory in Germany. This facility is the world’s first volume manufacturing line for ‘perovskite-on-silicon’ tandem solar cells, marking a significant step toward the commercialization of this technology.
However, Professor Snaith warns that the UK could miss out on leading this emerging global industry if it does not offer the necessary incentives and support for commercializing such innovations. “Supplying these materials will be a fast-growing new industry in the global green economy, and we have shown that the UK is innovating and leading the way scientifically. However, without new incentives and a better pathway to convert this innovation into manufacturing, the UK will miss the opportunity to lead this new global industry,” he cautions.
