The Carl Zeiss Foundation has begun funding the KeraSolar project, which aims to lead to the development for solar panels. Financing in the amount of 4,5 million euros is designed for six years. The development will be overseen by the Materials Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Up to 10 interdisciplinary research teams will participate in the project. As a result, investors and researchers expect to get a completely new concept of solar cells, without which it is impossible to imagine the future of renewable energy.
The new materials will be based on ceramics and the possibility of molding solar panels of arbitrary shape. As conceived by the researchers, electricity should be generated by any surface that hits the light. This is the only way to hope to replace fossil energy sources with renewable ones. The ceramic base and the modern variety of additives used promise the spread of solar panels in the form of building surfaces, mechanisms and structures, combined with high strength and durability.
But ceramics is just the foundation. It will combine other achievements in the field of converting light into electrical energy. Researchers include inkjet printing using organic materials and ferroelectric properties to such newest and not yet implemented in practice findings. . At the same time, the researchers promise not to forget the various crystalline photovoltaic structures that have already proven their reliability in long-term operation. In combination with a ceramic base, classic photovoltaic cells can also be given a second life.
Source: 3dnews.ru