Scientists have discovered that caffeine can help make a promising alternative to traditional solar cells more efficient at converting light to electricity. Their research may enable this cost-effective renewable energy technology to compete on the market with silicon solar cells.
Multi-junction solar cells are both the most efficient type of solar cell on the market today and the most expensive type of solar cell to produce. In a proof-of-concept paper, researchers from North Carolina State University detail a new approach for creating multi-junction solar cells using off-the-shelf components, resulting in lower cost, high-efficiency solar cells for use in multiple applications. Multi-junction, or
This image shows a new integrated solar flow battery with a 14.1 percent efficiency. Credit: David Tenenbaum, UW-Madison Scientists in the United States and Saudi Arabia have harnessed the abilities of both a solar cell and a battery in one device — a “solar flow battery” that soaks up sunlight and efficiently stores it as chemical energy for