Stanford researchers develop new technology for cheaper, more efficient solar cells

Applying an organic layer less than a nanometer thick improves the efficiency of certain solar cells threefold. The technology could lead to cheaper, more efficient solar panels.

The sun provides more than enough energy for all our needs, if only we could harness it cheaply and efficiently. Solar energy could provide a clean alternative to fossil fuels, but the high cost of solar cells has been a major barrier to their widespread use.

Stanford researchers have found that adding a single layer of organic molecules to a solar cell can increase its efficiency threefold and could lead to cheaper, more efficient solar panels.

Source: Stanford University