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https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-09-11/indoor-solar-power-could-replace-batteries-and-charger-cables/104301316>
'"Indoor solar power" sounds like a contradiction, but it may be coming to a
gadget near you.
Advances in photovoltaics, the conversion of light to electricity, mean
everyday low-energy devices from keyboards to cameras can be powered by indoor
light.
This month the Australian start-up Halocell will begin producing flexible 7
centimetre-long photovoltaic strips it says generate enough power to replace
the pair of disposable batteries in a TV remote, or the charger cable for a set
of headphones.
It represents the first large-scale manufacturing in Australia of a technology
that's long been touted as the future of solar and a "holy grail" of
ultra-cheap energy.
A new class of solar cells made out of a family of materials called perovskites
has the potential to be more efficient, lower cost, and perform better in dim
indoor light than conventional silicon cells.
But making the cells durable enough to sell has been a long and difficult road
for researchers. After years of work, the first commercial perovskite cells are
now emerging, designed for niche markets like satellites and consumer
electronics.
The Halocell modules will each cost less than a dollar to make and the Wagga
Wagga-based company has ambitious plans to produce millions per year, its CEO
Paul Moonie said.
"We want to tell the world perovskites are not just sitting in a research lab,
they're a commercial reality," he said.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
