Unlike traditional silicon-based solar panels, this material can be applied to everyday objects such as rucksacks, cars, and buildings.By stacking multiple light-absorbing layers, the researchers have achieved an energy efficiency of over 27 per cent, matching the performance of conventional solar panels for the first time.
In a press release, Dr Shuaifeng Hu, a researcher of Physics at Oxford University said: “During just five years experimenting with our stacking or multi-junction approach we have raised power conversion efficiency from around 6% to over 27%, close to the limits of what single-layer photovoltaics can achieve today. We believe that, over time, this approach could enable the photovoltaic devices to achieve far greater efficiencies, exceeding 45%.”
This new material has also been independently verified by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
Why this new material is better than traditional solar panels
This new material brings substantial benefits over current solar technologies, thanks to its flexibility and high efficiency. Its slim design allows it to be applied on curved surfaces, while its ability to convert sunlight into electricity may reduce the reliance on expansive solar farms.
Researchers are confident that this breakthrough will not only drive down solar energy costs but will also position it as the most sustainable form of renewable energy.
“By using new materials which can be applied as a coating, we’ve shown we can replicate and out-perform silicon whilst also gaining flexibility. This is important because it promises more solar power without the need for so many silicon-based panels or specially-built solar farms,” another researcher Dr Junke Wang said.