As the demand for renewable energy resources continues to increase, researchers have been working to increase the efficiency of those resources. According to a team of scientists based out of Singapore, they may have discovered a way to transform agricultural waste into perovskite solar cells used in solar energy.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, silicon remains the most common semiconductor material used in the production of solar cells. Silicon solar cells make up around 95% of all modules sold due to the abundance of silicon. As the second-most common element on the planet, silicon accounts for just under 28% of the Earth's crust.
However, the biggest downside to silicon solar cells is the environmental impact of their production due to the amount of resources needed.
In an effort to find alternative solar cell options, a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University and Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France have developed a perovskite solar cell using a biomass-based polymer, or PBDF-DFC. The polymer is derived from furan, a volatile, colorless, and flammable liquid with a strong odor formed during thermal processing.
In a study published in the journal Wiley Advanced, the scientists point to the novel perovskite solar cell's decreased production time as a possible breakthrough. The "integration approach significantly streamlines the fabrication process, reducing steps and potentially lowering production costs," the authors wrote.
In addition to the reduced production, the authors reported that the biomass-based perovskite solar cell boasted a power conversion efficiency of 21.39%, which falls just short of the efficiency of the leading perovskite solar cells in the market.
To test the efficiency of PBDF-DFC, the team of scientists placed the cell under a number of "various environmental stresses." As stated in the study, the cells retained "90% of their initial efficiency after over 1,100 [hours] of storage compared to 52% for control devices."
Over the last few decades, solar energy has made great strides in affordability as well as efficiency. Not only does solar energy reduce our reliance on dirty energy, but it can cut down on your home's planet-warming gas pollution as well. TCD offers a detailed guide to help determine if installing solar panels is right for your home.
Although an exact timeline has yet to be determined for the commercialization of a biomass-based perovskite solar cell, the team of scientists remains optimistic.
"The successful integration of PBDF-DFC and the direct precursor integration method opens new avenues for streamlined production of high-performance perovskite solar cells, addressing key challenges in scalability and environmental impact," the study read.
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