The solar cells of the future are on the way

SOLAR CELLS: A nano-based solar cell with considerably higher efficiency and a significantly lower price – that could become one of the energy sources of the future

A Danish research scientist has discovered a new form of semiconductor material, called nanoflakes, which can revolutionise the way solar cells are produced. It could result in ordinary domestic households benefiting from electricity generated from solar cells, and lowering their electricity bills.

It is not only bank balances that will look sunnier if Martin Aagesen’s solar cells meet expectations. The environment will also ben-efit from the research.

Less than 1% of the world’s electricity is generated directly from solar radiation because it is difficult to convert the energy into electricity. But Martin Aagesen’s discovery could provide a significant step towards exploiting solar energy a lot better than it is today.

- We think nanoflakes have the potential to convert up to 30 per cent of the solar energy into electricity, which is twice what we can do today, says Martin Aagesen, a postgraduate at the Nano-Science Center, University of Copenhagen.

During his PhD studies at the Nano-Science Center and Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, he discovered a new and unexplored material.

- I discovered a perfect crystalline structure. We see that very rarely. When we examined the semiconductor material we discovered that it also absorbed all wavelengths of light. It could become the perfect solar cell, says Martin Aagesen.

The discovery of the new type of material has attracted considerable attention in international research circles. The renowned British scientific journal Nature Nanotech-nology recently published an article on Martin Aagesen’s research results.

- The potential is unmistakable. We can reduce the material costs of solar cell production, because thanks to nanotechnology we do not need the same amount of the expensive semiconductor silicon to make the solar cells. In addition, the solar cells of the future will be able to exploit solar radiation even better since the energy transport distance in the solar cell is less, which means less energy loss, says Martin Aagesen, who is also the director of SunFlake A/S, a company which is developing the new type of solar cell.

/JB