Scientists develop groundbreaking material that could reshape how we generate energy: 'An important technology'

Solar energy researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology may have come up with their breakthrough electrode design for bifacial cells during lunch.  

That's because the perovskite unit, which can collect sunpower from both sides, has a sandwich design. The nanometers-thin transparent electrode described in a Tech Xplore summary helps it achieve "high efficiency, durability, and infrared transparency, promising significant advances in solar energy applications." 

The electrode, a key part of solar cells that help to conduct electrical flow, is made from nickel oxide layers that sandwich a silver middle one. It's designated in the summary as NiO/Ag/NiO, and provides low electrical resistance and high visible light transmission. The unit can collect energy from both sides, at angles, and from light that's diffused — reflected from clouds and the ground. Direct sunlight works well, too, all per the Tech Xplore story. 

"This work may provide a design strategy for [transparent electrodes] that can be included in bifacial perovskite solar cells for use in tandem devices, agrivoltaics, and automotive technologies, among other potential uses," Associate Professor Dhriti Sundar Ghosh, the study's senior author, said, per Tech Xplore. 

Perovskite is a promising sun-catching mineral. The U.S. Energy Department said the material has high performance and low production costs. Solar Magazine reported that a short lifespan — from 30 years for a typical panel to 30 months for perovskite — has been a major setback. While standard silicon panels have efficiencies in the low- to mid-20% range, perovskite can convert nearly 30% of sunlight into electricity, all per the magazine. 

And recent innovations are reportedly bringing perovskite longevity to parity with other, common kinds. The better tech could be game-changing for a variety of surfaces, from buildings, to railroad tracks. 

The Indian invention garnered conversion rates of 9.05% and 6.54% when under light from different sides, and not always direct or bright, per a graphic provided with the findings in the journal SPIE. The cells were also effective in near-infrared light, opening more applications like thermal windows. Further, the prototype maintained 80% of its initial efficiency after 1,000 hours, all per the Tech Xplore report. 

Solar energy technology is advancing quickly, with big tech companies like Meta investing in farms to offset extreme energy use from their growing data centers. In 2023, solar made nearly 4% of U.S. electricity, according to government data. 

That number will have to grow greatly to avoid worst-case environmental scenarios from our planet's overheating, per a Massachusetts Institute of Technology fact sheet. The MIT experts linked burning fossil fuels, and associated overheating, to greater risks for severe weather and other problems that impact even our insurance rates. 

Solar energy is a cleaner solution that can be tapped without installing home-based tech. By participating in community solar programs, for example, you can subscribe to nearby solar farms. This unlocks the better energy while also helping to cut your electricity bill by up to $150 a year. EnergySage can help you find the right program in your area. 

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The International Energy Agency reported that worldwide clean energy investments need to triple to around $4 trillion by the end of the decade to meet best-case goals by 2050. 

And the Indian experts are confident that perovskite solar cells with the ability to make energy with weak light from multiple directions can be a key part of the solution. 

"To satisfy the global energy demand, photovoltaics is an important technology in the race to achieve the goal of green energy," the researchers wrote. 

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