Every 88 minutes, enough solar energy hits the earth’s surface to meet our energy needs for a whole year. Conventional silicon solar panels have an efficiency of up to 22%. A new material called perovskite can significantly increase that efficiency. It can be made in a laboratory at room temperature, using abundant materials in easy to access places.
A perovskite-on-silicone tandem solar cell that converts 30% of solar energy into electricity has been developed by Oxford PV, a spin out from the University of Oxford. Commercial production begins in 2023, proving collaboration between industry and academia is essential in the drive towards net zero.