New photovoltaic ceramics for solar panels are 1000 times more powerful than analogues

Using 3D printing technology, researchers have created a material that can provide multiple forms of clean energy.

< p>Engineers at ETH Zurich, a public research university in Switzerland, have developed photovoltaic ceramics that can convert sunlight into energy 1,000 times more efficiently than traditional solar panels. Eco News resource writes about it.

Silicon-based solar cells dominate the solar energy scene because the material from which they are made is considered the second most abundant material on the planet after oxygen. However, their effectiveness pales in comparison to that of photovoltaic ceramics that Swiss researchers have developed in recent years.

Although silicon-based solar cells have been an exceptional clean energy alternative for several decades, the acquisition of this energy source is associated with many significant barriers that make it difficult for most households to access. According to Architectural Digest, the installation costs between $17,430 and $23,870. A variety of factors can affect the price, including your home's energy needs, location, panel selection, and even federal tax credits. Therefore, industry experts continue to look for more efficient, sustainable and affordable ways to use solar energy at the highest level.

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The photovoltaic ceramics developed at ETH Zurich contain a perovskite structure, which is a metal-organic framework with a two-dimensional grid. As the material absorbs natural light and generates an electrical charge, it makes it possible to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. When light hits the perovskites, the aluminum oxide acts as a pathway for the electrons generated by these nanoparticles to reach the surface of the ceramic, thereby producing an electric current. The structure of this innovative ceramic makes it suitable for internal consumption.

While scientists at ETH Zurich have taken us one step forward in the global energy transition with photovoltaic ceramics, they have been hard at work developing new technologies to harness natural resources and produce liquid fuels from sunlight and air. They demonstrated the process by exposing a solar reactor to concentrated sunlight from a parabolic mirror.

The invention could reach temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees Celsius, triggering a thermochemical reaction that split water and carbon dioxide captured from the air. The resulting compound was a synthetic gas (or synthesis gas) that could then be used to produce liquid fuels such as jet kerosene.

These are techniques that scientists have developed to use sunlight, but they also found way to improve our management of this energy source. They did this using a new type of 3D printing technology. It is known that solar reactors have porous structures inside, which are responsible for absorbing sunlight.