New Generation of Solar Cells Inspired by Plants

Scientists looking for the next big breakthrough in solar technology got their inspiration from a natural source: the process of photosynthesis in plants. New photovoltaic devices that mimic the way plants turn sunlight into energy have been developed at the University of Southampton, by a team led by Professor Pavlos Lagoudakis of the University’s School of Physics and Astronomy. This new way of harnessing solar energy delivers unprecedented amounts of electrical current from light.

From Science Daily:

In photosynthesis each molecule has evolved to deliver a function that complements the perpetual cycle of light to energy conversion. With the advent of nanoscience, scientists are now able to build devices of multiple nanoscale components, each one designed to deliver a specific functionality.

Professor Lagoudakis comments: “We looked at the ways that energy is funnelled in nature and through reverse engineering, using multiple nanoscale components, we designed and fabricated a hybrid photovoltaic device that can absorb light and efficiently convert it to electric current.

“These are early days but the possibilities for the application of this technology for environmentally-friendly energy production are very exciting.”

This exciting breakthrough comes on the heels of rather dark times for the solar industry. Last week, news broke that solar panels will see a significant drop in price by the end of this year because of a large increase in supply and decrease in demand. The solar market is expected to shrink to $29 billion. But, with advances like these and the push for clean energy around the world despite the global economic crisis, things will undoubtedly pick up again before too long.

Link [Science Daily]
Photo credit: Flickr user Criss!

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