Solar windows: A bright future for energy-efficient buildings
Scientists have made remarkable progress in producing windows that can simultaneously function as sources of electrical energy. This achievement was made possible through the development of perovskite cells, which can transmit more than 20% of visible light.
15 November 2024 13:27
Behind this innovative technology is a team of experts from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, led by Professor Jacek Jasieniak from the Department of Materials Engineering at Monash University in Australia.
How do windows generate electricity?
According to the portal Interesting Engineering, this new solution significantly increases the amount of visible light that passes through the cells, enhancing their potential applications.
Earlier work by this team led to the creation of semi-transparent perovskite cells, which achieved a solar energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 17% and transmitted 10% of visible light. Modern technologies now allow transmitting twice as much light with nearly the same efficiency of 15.5%.
Will this new invention revolutionize the market?
Professor Jasieniak pointed out that this is an important step towards realizing highly efficient and stable perovskite devices, which could be used as solar windows, opening up new possibilities in the market.
Australian research could lead to the future production of cells combining the functions of solar panels and window panes. Moreover, Professor Jasieniak's group has developed cells with an efficiency of only 4.1%, but characterized by a light transmittance level of 52.4%. This suggests that perovskite devices are becoming increasingly reminiscent of transparent panes.
