A team from the University of Cambridge and the Center for Nanophotonics, AMOLF in Amsterdam found a new approach to capture solar energy, according to a study published in the scientific journal Joule. Current efforts involve making solar cells more efficient, but this approach has a limit. Now, researchers are pursuing other avenues.
Instead of simply trying to make solar cells more efficient, the authors wanted to find out if they could be adjusted to perform better in some regions of the world where the concentration of solar energy is naturally higher. They used machine learning models and AI to understand how the sun’s radiation would behave in different areas on the planet. The aim was to predict how much energy the solar cells could produce at various locations worldwide.
The analysis revealed exciting results. “Making solar cells super-efficient turns out to be very difficult. So, instead of just trying to make solar cells better, we figured some other ways to capture more solar energy,” said Dr. Tomi Baikie from the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge.” This could be really helpful for communities, giving them different options to think about instead of just focusing on making the cells more efficient with light.”
The new solar panels could flex and fold or become partially transparent to blend with their surroundings and make them easy to install. This way, they can be integrated into a wide range of settings and locations. “We suggest a different plan that can make solar panels work well in lots of different places around the world,” said Baikie. “The idea is to make them flexible, a bit see-through/semi-transparent, and able to fold up. This way, the panels can fit into all kinds of places.”
In addition, the authors defend the use of patterns on solar capture devices to maximize sunlight absorption. This has the potential to improve the design of solar arrays, increasing their effectiveness in harnessing solar energy. “This realisation means that we can now focus on different things instead of just making solar cells work better. In the future, we’re going to examine solar harvesting pathways that include tessellation. It’s like a puzzle pattern that could help us capture even more sun power,” concluded Baikie.
Baikie T, Daiber B, Kensington E et al (2024) Revealing the potential of luminescent solar concentrators in real-world environments. Joule, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2024.01.018