A microscopic view of salt water diatoms (image courtesy of Prof. Gordon T. Taylor, Stony Brook University, USA)
Researchers at Oregon State University and Portland State University have discovered a way to use algae to increase solar cell efficiency. Using microscopic algae called diatoms, dye-sensitized solar cells can produce triple the electrical output of ordinary solar cells.
When specially-engineered diatoms are used in the production of thin film solar cells, light is captured inside the nano-scale pores of the cells. As a result, incident photons are trapped: electricity generation and efficiency are thus increased.
OSU professor Greg Rorrer stated:
“In our system, photons bounce around inside pores formed from diatom shells making them three times more efficient.”
Dye-sensitized solar cells are considered to be a superior alternative to photovoltaic silicon solar panels from an environmental and cost standpoint, and they can also work in low-light conditions. A thin film of dye molecules is attached to a titanium oxide layer, applied to a glass or plastic substrate. The dye molecules absorb light; excitation of electrons injects them into the titanium layer and from there, they are transported to the negative electrode.
Dye-sensitized solar cells (image from Wikipedia)
The primary advantage silicon panels have over dye-sensitized solar cells is nearly double the efficiency (20%, compared to 10%).
At least until now.
In the Oregon-based research, the engineers provided titanium dioxide to living diatoms, encouraging them to build shells from the photovoltaic material. Organic material was then removed from the titanium dioxide shells, which were mixed into a dye.
The thin-film solar cells created with this process were three times as efficient as thin films that did not include the diatom nanoscale patterning.
The research is encouraging for those in the solar film industry. Of course, it is still in the experimental stage. And, while there will be some added cost using the new technology, increased efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells will likely justify the expense.
Tags: algae solar, diatoms, dye-sensitized solar cells, efficiency solar cell, Solar Panels, thin film solar cells, titanium dioxide
Man, that’s just incredible that people can figure things like this out. I also read somewhere that people are using some kind of algae in hydrogen gas production. Algae must have a lot of really useful properties. It’s interesting to see how scientists are integrating bio-chemisty with green technology. I wouldn’t have ever thought that those two fields would work together.