Photovoltaic : Science World Report

Jan 31, 2014 02:55 PM EST

Understanding the Function of a New Type of Solar Cell

Scientists have uncovered the mechanism by which novel, revolutionary solar cells based on lead iodide perovskite light-absorbing semiconductor transfer electrons along their surface.

Jan 08, 2014 03:08 PM EST

A Cheaper Method of Storing Solar Energy

By replacing platinum with molybdenum in photoelectrochemical cells, scientists from two EPFL labs have developed a cheaper and scalable technique that can greatly improve hydrogen production through water splitting as a means of storing solar energy.

Oct 09, 2013 04:01 PM EDT

World Record Solar Cell with 44.7% Efficiency

A new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity using a new solar cell structure with four solar subcells has been achieved by a German-French collaboration consisting of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Soitec, CEA-Leti and the Helmholtz Center Berlin.

Oct 09, 2013 03:41 PM EDT

Major Leap Towards Transparent Graphene Contacts for Solar Cells

Graphene has extreme conductivity and is completely transparent while being inexpensive and nontoxic. This makes it a perfect candidate material for transparent contact layers for use in solar cells to conduct electricity without reducing the amount of incoming light - at least in theory.

Aug 22, 2013 04:10 PM EDT

3D Graphene Discovered to Have Same Key Properties as Platinum in Solar Cells

Scientists at Michigan Technological University have replaced expensive platinum, a key ingredient for a novel type of solar cells, with a new material: low-cost 3D graphene.

Aug 21, 2013 06:17 PM EDT

Largest Photovoltaics Facility for Research and Self-Supply Built in Germany

The German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is putting its theoretical findings in renewable energy and electric energy storage into practice by building the largest photovoltaics facility for self-consumption in Germany and produce energy from renewable sources for its own supply.

Jul 21, 2013 09:12 PM EDT

Why Does Hot Weather Cause Power Outages?

Why is the power grid so sensitive to high temperatures? It's quite simple really. First, we certainly love our air conditioners, and air conditioners demand a lot of power. Second, power is generated at only a few places in the country, and yet our air-conditioned homes and businesses and factories...

Jul 09, 2013 05:31 PM EDT

Solar Impulse Concludes Across America Trip in NYC and Rings NASDAQ Bell

In a leap towards flying around the world using solar power alone, Solar Impulse landed in New York this weekend – an important landmark for the Swiss project.

Jul 05, 2013 09:07 PM EDT

Finding the Optimal Compound For Low-Cost Plastic Photovoltaic Cells

The dream of a solar-powered world recently took a major step forward. On 24 June, in a joint announcement with the US White House and IBM, the Harvard Clean Energy Project released a database of 2.3 million organic compounds - 35,000 of which have promising properties for high-performance semicondu...

Jul 02, 2013 09:23 PM EDT

Solar Façades: Windows of the Future Can Have Any Color and Produce Power

Until now, designers of buildings have no choice but to use black or bluish-gray colored solar panels. With the help of thin-film technologies, researchers have now been able to turn solar cells into colorful creations.

Jun 17, 2013 04:03 PM EDT

Concentrator Solar Cell with World's Highest Conversion Efficiency of 44.4% Developed by Sharp

Sharp Corporation has achieved the world's highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 44.4%, using a concentrator triple-junction compound solar cell. These solar cells are used in a lens-based concentrator system that focuses sunlight on the cells to generate electricity.

May 17, 2013 10:36 PM EDT

Australian Scientists Use Big Printer to Make Organic Solar Cells

Australian scientists have produced the largest flexible, plastic solar cells of the Southern continent – ten times the size of what they were previously able to – thanks to a new solar cell printer that has been installed at CSIRO.