Indoor solar

Researchers from Harbin Engineering University, ITMO University and Hellenic Mediterranean University have managed to improve perovskite solar cells with the help of silicon nanoantennas, which increase the concentration of light in the material at certain wavelengths. The team applied monodisperse silicon nanoparticles to investigate optical effects responsible for the improvement of perovskite solar cells. This method could someday be used to create solar cells for indoor lighting and even the space industry. 

Solar cells and batteries in general can be improved by developing semiconductor materials that efficiently absorb light. Perovskites are considered promising since they are light, thin, and easy-to-produce and can be used to make thin solar cells with varied bending shapes, low weight, and multiple applications. Like other semiconductors, perovskites, however, absorb just a fraction of the spectrum and therefore generate less energy than they receive from the source. To that end, the international team of scientists has developed perovskite solar cells using silicon-based optical resonant nanoantennas. 

Solaires Entreprises, a British Columbia-based cleantech startup that develops high power conversion efficiency photovoltaic modules (PV Modules), has announced a Licensing Agreement with SEI Energy, a JV between Solaires and Genesis Technology, a Shanghai-based manufacturer. The Companies are collaborating to achieve mass production of PV Modules, aiming to replace batteries in indoor electronic devices.

This licensing deal enables SEI Energy to manufacture PV Modules specifically designed for indoor applications, catering to the growing demand in the Asia market. By leveraging Genesis’ extensive manufacturing capabilities and market reach, the collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of innovative PV
Module technology in a variety of indoor electronic devices, reducing reliance on traditional batteries and promoting cleaner energy alternatives.

Israel-based SOLRA-PV showcases its cutting-edge indoor perovskite solar panel technology in action by successfully powering an entire IoT device setup. The system comprises an indoor panel, an environmental sensor, Bluetooth, and power management.

As you can see in the video, the prototype device performs a measurement every 10 minutes and transmits it to the smartphone. Utilizing SOLRA-PV's panels effectively captures indoor light for power generation, thus paving the way for the development of battery-free devices. The Company states that under indoor light conditions of 1000 lux, the panel produces 0.5 mW of power.

Solaires Enterprises and XLYNX Materials recently announced a collaboration which will focus on building efficient and stable perovskite solar cells to “unlock the full potential of recycled light”. 

The partnership between the two Canada-based companies aims to help engineer the future of solar energy, according to Dr. Sahar Sam, a cofounder of Solaires Enterprises. “Through collaboration with XLYNX Materials, we are one step closer to making solar energy even more sustainable, cost-effective, and accessible,” Sam stated. 

Researchers at Korea University, Kyungpook National University, Hanyang University, Dongguk University and Mississippi State University have used a novel ligand passivation strategy in perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) photovoltaics (PQDPVs) to enhance the carrier lifetime. 

The advancement of perovskite photovoltaic (PePV) systems for harnessing indoor light energy has been accelerated by the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT). However, the commercialization of these systems is impeded by moisture instability and restricted carrier lifetimes. Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) offer viable solutions for increasing stability despite the potential effects of their organic ligands on efficiency. 

Solaires Entreprises, a cleantech startup that develops high power conversion efficiency photovoltaic modules, has announced a Joint Venture with Genesis Technologies, a Shanghai based manufacturer. The companies will be working towards mass production of PV modules to replace batteries in indoor electronic devices, as the JV's first phase.

Solaires will provide the technology and Genesis will provide manufacturing as part of the Joint Venture. Genesis Technologies has committed to investing more than $4 Million USD to develop Solaires’ manufacturing site through purchasing production line equipment, carrying out personnel training and executing daily operations for the Joint Venture.

Switzerland-based Perovskia recently announced it is establishing a factory in Aubonne, Switzerland, to produce a million custom-designed perovskite devices annually. 

Perovskia is a spinoff of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA). It was founded to develop the market for customized perovskite solar devices as battery replacements. 

Canada-based Solaires Entreprises, developer of sustainable and scalable perovskite-based photovoltaic modules, has announced the launch of its first
production line. 

Solaires deployed its fully functional pilot production line where it will be producing PV modules for customers. The pilot production line is located in Langford, BC, Canada.

The perovskite solar industry is emerging and becoming a vibrant industry, with dozens of companies that are developing and starting to produce perovskite-based and perovskite-enhanced solar panels, for many applications.

While the industry is still at an early stage, we can see that almost half (43%) of the active perovskite developers are focused on solutions for outdoor applications – mainly roof top and utility scale applications – for generating electricity on a large scale, a replacement for current silicon-based solutions. While this is a challenging area (requires low cost, high performance and very high stability), the size of this market is large and proven. Perovskite has some inherent advantages in this area – low weight, low cost, high return on investment, high efficiency and excellent light absorption properties.

Silicon-based solar cells currently dominate the solar market. It is a proven technology, with established manufacturing processes. However, it is also quite expensive to produce, yields rigid cells and has an estimated efficiency limit of around 29%. In recent years, perovskite-based solar technologies have been drawing a lot of attention, and many academics and companies believe they are the future of the solar industry.

Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) technology is a photovoltaic (PV) technology based on the use of perovskite materials, mostly in the light-absorbing layers of the cell. There are many types of perovskite materials, and several processes used to deposit these materials to create efficient solar panels. PSCs have potential for creating solar panels that are easily deposited onto most surfaces, including flexible and textured ones. They can also be lightweight, cheap to produce, and more efficient than silicon-based solar cells (efficiencies in the lab have already crossed 30%). 

The major advantages of perovskite-based solar cells are factors of performance, applicability and sustainability: