Full paper available here, read on for media release, photos, captions and background information.

Two square metres of solar window will do the same job as a standard rooftop solar panel, Australian researchers say.

Semi-transparent solar cells that can be incorporated into window glass are a “game-changer” that could transform architecture, urban planning and electricity generation, Australian scientists say in a paper in Nano Energy.

The researchers – led by Professor Jacek Jasieniak from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (Exciton Science) and Monash University – have succeeded in producing next-gen perovskite solar cells that generate electricity while allowing light to pass through. They are now investigating how the new technology could be built into commercial products with Viridian Glass, Australia’s largest glass manufacturer.

[Read more…] about Windows will soon generate electricity, following solar cell breakthrough

Full paper available here, read on for media release, photos, captions and background information.

Researchers find a simple way to detect tiny imperfections that affect performance. 

A literal “trick of the light” can detect imperfections in next-gen solar cells, boosting their efficiency to match that of existing silicon-based versions, researchers have found. 

The discovery opens a pathway to improved quality control for commercial production.

On small scales, perovskite solar cells – which promise cheap and abundant solar energy generation – are already almost as efficient as silicon ones. 

However, as scale increases the perovskite cells perform less well, because of nanoscale surface imperfections resulting from the way they are made.

As the number of unwanted tiny lumps and bumps grows, the amount of solar power generated per square centimetre drops off. 

Now, however, Australian researchers have come up with a solution – using a camera. 

[Read more…] about Next gen solar cells perform better when there’s a camera around