Researchers develop infrared solar panels

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new type of solar cell that can convert infrared light into electrical energy. Conventional cells need visible light for this.

The idea behind the development of the new photovoltaic cells is that sunlight consists of forty percent infrared light, with which the known solar cells do nothing. They need visible light to release electrical energy, but the less energetic infrared light is sufficient for the new cells at MIT. Unlike conventional PVCs, which generally consist of silicon semiconductors, the new cells were made of carbon.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology research group, led by Michael Strano, builds up the cells with carbon nanotubes and C60, also called buckyballs or buckminsterfullerene. Although very little material would be needed thanks to the high ir absorption of the carbon, the efficiency is still quite disappointing at 0.1 percent. However, this could be improved in the future.

The carbon PVCs could be combined with conventional solar cells. The carbon in the MIT solar cells is transparent to the visible light that those cells use, so that it can be applied as a layer on top of silicon PVCs.