Transparent Solar Cell

Researchers at UCLA have announced that they have worked out a way to manufacturers solar cells on clear substrates allowing the possibility of windows becoming solar cells. The group announced a polymer solar cell that absorbs infrared light providing a new absorption capacity than the usual visible light currently used. They claim this can be done on substrates that are 70% transparent opening the way for dual purpose modules ready for building integration.

"These results open the potential for visibly transparent polymer solar cells as add-on components of portable electronics, smart windows and building-integrated photovoltaics and in other applications," said study leader Yang Yang, a UCLA professor of materials science and engineering, who also is director of the Nano Renewable Energy Center at California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). Polymer solar cells have attracted a great deal of research attention and this sort of break through will help push the technology to manufacturable levels. Focusing on infra red light sources the team has been able to improve the transparency of the material. By adding near-infrared light sensitive polymers mixed with silver nanowire composite films as the top electrode allowing a higher performance photovoltaic device that can operate in different light conditions that current technology.