Scientists want to make solar panels cheaper with perovskite paint

Scientists have developed a new production method that should ensure that solar panels can be made cheaper. For this they use perovskite, which is applied as a kind of spray paint. The method would reduce the electricity price.

The new production method was developed by The University of Sheffield. Scientists used a previously developed technique to apply materials like spray paint to a solar panel. In an attempt to produce solar panels more cheaply, perovskite, a mix between calcium and titanium oxide, was sprayed on a substrate with a number of paint heads. Perovskite is known to efficiently absorb light.

By spraying perovskite on a substrate, the production process for solar panels should be made cheaper. According to the scientists, perovskite is cheaper and can be made with less energy than silicon, which is used in conventional solar panels. In addition, less material is wasted with the paint, the scientists claim.

A prototype, developed by The University of Sheffield using the spray-paint method, achieved an efficiency of 11 percent. Although this is considerably less than with conventional silicon panels, according to scientists it is already possible to achieve an efficiency of 19 percent with perovskite. Conventional silicon-based solar panels achieve an efficiency of around 25 percent, although panels have already been developed that have significantly increased their efficiency.

Organic solar panels have previously been built using the spray-on method, but these have proven to be less efficient than when perovskite is used. The development of organic solar panels started years ago and is seen as a cheap alternative to silicon. However, perovskite would be a better alternative, as its efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity is higher than with organic solar panels. It is still unclear if and when the new production method will be used on a commercial scale.

The paint heads.