The new thin-film cell lives up to its name.
Solar cells are an essential part of the energy transition. But we are still a long way from using the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity really efficiently. But that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with their efficiency. The record for so-called tandem solar cells was only recently set at 32.5 percent by a research team from Berlin.
The problem is rather the high cost of materials and the usable space. Solar cells must be laboriously cast in glass and encased in aluminum, making them heavy and unwieldy. Researchers at the famous Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are therefore taking a completely different approach and have now developed a solar cell that is thinner than human hair and at the same time at least as flexible (via Wiley Online Library).
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18 times more efficient than normal solar cells
The US researchers’ thin-film cell is not actually more energy-efficient. This means that their efficiency is between 6 and 7 percent, depending on how they are applied, but at most 19 to 20 percent, and thus at best on the level of conventional cells.
Paradoxically, in this case the degree of effectiveness is not that decisive for the efficiency. According to the researchers, the cost of materials plays a much larger role. Because calculated on two pounds of solar cell (we couldn’t help butcher’s joke), the 50 micron thin cell is 18 times as efficient as conventional solar modules.
Specifically, the Dyneema fabric with the attached solar cells produces 370 watts per kilogram. For comparison: A typical, high-quality photovoltaic system on the roof has 20 watts per kilogram.
The true advantage of ultra-thin solar cells, however, is that they can be printed practically anywhere. For example, clothing with integrated cells is conceivable, facades that are simply wallpapered with them, and much more. This has the potential to completely turn the way we use solar cells on its head. The GameStar podcast tells you how you can already save electricity or produce as efficiently as possible yourself:
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The research team has come a long way
The team at MIT developed the first iteration of the ultra-thin solar cell six years ago. However, it did not make it to market. With the new cells, however, the chances are many times better because they are manufactured using a scalable printing process. We have more exciting things from the world of technology for you here:
What do you think of the innovative thin-film cell? Do you think we’ll all be wearing solar cells on our clothes soon? Or do you think that, like its predecessor, it will not come to market? Write it to us in the comments!
