energy sources Imagine – Imagine if the glass on your office window was able to silently generate electricity all day long! Researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have made this dream come true by creating ultra-thin and nearly invisible solar cells from a material called perovskite, which can absorb sunlight. The development, described in the journal ACS Energy Letters, could turn buildings, cars and wearables into producers of sustainable energy from sunlight.

The science behind glass According to the paper, NTU researchers led by Associate Professor Annalisa Bruno used thermal evaporation technology, which relied on a vacuum method, to create cells covered with highly precise microscopic layers of perovskite. Compared to regular solar cells, the newly developed cells are much thinner but have impressive power conversion efficiency.

It is possible to say that perovskite has excellent light absorption capabilities making it an ideal choice for use in this type of solar panel. Finally, the main advantage of the new solar cells is that they are completely transparent and devoid of any color.

From skyscrapers to smart glass Currently, buildings represent approximately 40% of energy use worldwide; The vast potential for the use of glass surfaces is a very promising area. According to NTU scientists, installing such solar cells on a large building covered with glass windows could significantly reduce its energy consumption.

Apart from architectural purposes, the innovation could also be applied to vehicle windows, sunroofs and smart glasses, where the cells would use sunlight to generate electricity for electronics.