This groundbreaking technology has the potential to help Europe achieve its climate targets in the future.
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Danish researchers have achieved a new world record in solar efficiency by harnessing sunlight through windows that not only allow light to pass through but also generate power simultaneously.
The one-of-a-kind transparent solar cell technology has the potential to revolutionize renewable energy sources by transforming skyscrapers and office buildings into mini power plants using their windows as solar panels.
The CitySolar project’s solution could play a crucial role in Europe’s ambition to make all new buildings carbon-neutral and completely decarbonize the European building sector by 2050.
Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark achieved this record-breaking technology by combining organic solar cells with the material perovskite, resulting in an efficiency rate of 12.3%, on par with commercial solar cells.
The international team claims that the solar panels are also 30% transparent.
Until now, transparent solar windows have struggled to absorb enough energy to power a building, while also lacking transparency for practical use. With the CitySolar project, these challenges have been overcome.
“Transparent solar cells could represent the next major breakthrough in building-integrated energy solutions,” stated Morten Madsen, one of the key researchers behind the discovery. “The large glass facades in modern office buildings can now generate energy without taking up additional space or necessitating any significant structural modifications… This is a massive market opportunity.”
Madsen also noted that the two materials used in the solar cells are highly affordable and can be scaled for commercial deployment.
When combined with the organic solar cell, the perovskite layer absorbs near-ultraviolet light, while the cell absorbs near-infrared light, allowing new efficiency records for semi-transparent solar windows to be achieved.
This advancement allows light from the visible spectrum to pass through while leaving the visible spectrum relatively unharmed.
Both materials are highly affordable and suitable for mass commercial production, according to Madsen.
The project currently boasts a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between five and six, indicating it is between proof-of-concept and prototype stages.
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The project has received €4 million in funding from the European Union and the team is currently in talks with industry partners to increase production of the see-through solar panels.
