PHOTOVOLTAICS | MATERIALS
to less than 20% without the added layer. The team tracked the growth of common crops including wheat, mung beans and broccoli in two separate demonstrations: one had a transparent glass roof with segments of inorganic solar cells; the other had a roof made entirely from semi- transparent organic solar cells. The crops in the ‘organic solar roof’ greenhouse grew more crops. The scientists believe this is because the L- glu- tathione layer blocked ultraviolet rays – which can inhibit plant growth – and infrared rays, which causes greenhouses to overheat. UCLA has now established a start-up that aims to scale up production of the organic solar cells for industrial use. The researchers hope to make greenhouses incorporating organic solar cells commercially available in future.
Perovskite boost The pan-European Sunrey project aims to make perovskite solar cells more sustainable, efficient and durable.
It intends to push the development of efficient solar cells based on non-critical raw materials. The three-year project began in November 2022, and is
coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) in Potsdam, Germany.
“Making perovskite solar cells more sustainable
and efficient – in order to have less impact on the environment – is the central goal of Sunrey,” said Armin Wedel, who coordinates the project and is head of the functional polymer department at Fraunhofer IAP. “To this end, we are developing materials with low lead content.”
Above: HALS additives from BASF have been used to prevent UV damage to solar pontoon
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IMAGE: BASF
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