Solar panels with a record service life of almost 16 years created

Researchers from the University of Åbo Akademi (Finland) and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Nanobionics (China) have developed organic solar cells with an inverted structure that can remain operational for 16 years. Details of the study were published in the journal Nature.

Key achievements:

1. Record efficiency.

• Panels with an area of ​​1 cm² achieved an efficiency of 18%.

2. Durability.

• The batteries can operate for 24,700 hours under white light, which is equivalent to almost 16 years of continuous use.

How did they manage to increase the service life?

Organic solar panels previously suffered from rapid material degradation. The researchers solved the problem by identifying and eliminating the recombination region - the zone where photoactivated electrons are lost instead of generating electric current. To achieve this, a thin passivation layer of solvent-treated silicon oxide nitrate (SiOxNy) was applied to the bottom contact layer of the panels. This layer:

• Eliminated the recombination region.
• Increased the stability and overall efficiency of the devices.

Environmental significance

The new panels are capable of:

• Reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• Reducing dependence on fossil resources.
• Providing electricity to remote regions.

This discovery marks an important step towards the mass production of long-lasting organic solar cells and the transition to green energy.