05-23-2015, 09:49 PM
Researchers at Finland's Aalto University in cooperation with Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya have achieved record-breaking efficiency of 22.1% on nanostructured silicon solar cells as certified by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab.
Black silicon solar cells push efficiency record to 22.1 percent - Electronics Eetimes
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a way of simplifying the manufacture of solar cells by using the top electrode as the catalyst that turns plain silicon into valuable black silicon. Black silicon is silicon with a highly textured surface of nanoscale spikes or pores that are smaller than the wavelength of light. The texture allows the efficient collection of light from any angle, at any time of day. Barron and his team have been fine-tuning the creation of black silicon for some time, but an advance in the manufacturing technique should push it closer to commercialization, claimed Barron.
Electrode discovery points to simpler solar cell production method - Electronics Eetimes
Researchers at the Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group at the Universitat Jaume I have developed an organic device that allows reducing water into hydrogen using only sunlight.
Organic photovoltaic device innovation releases solar fuel potential - Electronics Eetimes