Scientists have created innovative translucent solar panels that can be built directly into windows and building facades. New palladium-based technology allows you to generate environmentally friendly electricity without darkening the room.
Specialists from the Norilsk Nickel Center for Palladium Technologies, together with the MISIS Advanced Solar Energy Laboratory, presented prototypes of unique panels. Outwardly, they resemble ordinary double-glazed windows, but have a key advantage: each square meter of such surface is capable of producing up to 150 W of electricity. At the same time, the panels freely transmit daylight and effectively protect interiors from summer overheating.
The development is based on ultrathin films made of semiconductor materials and special multilayer electrodes. To increase durability and protect against corrosion, the electrodes are coated with a microscopic layer of palladium.
As explained by Anna Stavitskaya, project manager at the Center for Palladium Technologies, even a minimal amount of palladium is enough to significantly increase the reliability of the elements. This solution protects the panels from oxidation and extends their service life, with virtually no effect on the final cost of the product.
Thus, the technology opens up a new area of application for palladium – at the intersection of architecture and green energy. In the near future, the innovative panels will be tested for durability. In the future, such generator windows can become an integral part of smart cities, turning ordinary buildings into autonomous sources of clean energy.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @nornickel_official
