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Identifying optimal photovoltaic technologies for underwater applications
Jason A Röhr1, B Edward Sartor1, Joel N Duenow2
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA.
Iscience
|July 5, 2022
Summary
A new bench-top method evaluates solar cells for underwater use. Gallium Indium Phosphide (GaInP) cells show high efficiency, outperforming Silicon (Si) and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) cells in simulated aquatic environments.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Collecting solar energy in aquatic environments is crucial for environmental monitoring and remote sensing.
- Evaluating photovoltaic technologies for underwater applications is difficult due to the need for field deployment or large water tanks.
- Identifying optimal solar cells for underwater energy harvesting requires specialized testing methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple bench-top characterization technique for evaluating solar cells in simulated underwater conditions.
- To compare the performance of Silicon (Si), Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), and Gallium Indium Phosphide (GaInP) solar cells under simulated aquatic solar spectra.
- To identify the most suitable photovoltaic technology for efficient underwater solar energy collection.
Main Methods:
- A novel bench-top characterization technique was developed, utilizing LEDs to simulate underwater solar spectra at various depths.
- This method circumvents the need for direct water access, simplifying initial trials and development.
- Commercially available Si and CdTe solar cells were compared with GaInP cells, a wide bandgap technology suitable for underwater harvesting.
Main Results:
- Silicon (Si) solar cells demonstrated superior performance under terrestrial AM1.5G solar irradiance.
- At underwater depths greater than 2 meters, CdTe and GaInP cells outperformed Si cells.
- Gallium Indium Phosphide (GaInP) cells achieved impressive underwater efficiencies, approaching 54%.
Conclusions:
- The developed bench-top technique provides an effective means to evaluate solar cells for aquatic applications without field testing.
- GaInP solar cells are highly promising for underwater solar energy harvesting due to their superior performance at depth.
- This research facilitates the advancement of solar energy utilization in marine and aquatic environments for monitoring and sensing.
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