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Solar power is becoming an increasingly important source of energy worldwide. At present, photovoltaic systems are predominantly being used in Germany. For sunny countries, solar tower power plants are a valuable addition. They store heat and can generate electricity at any time – even when the sun is not shining.
Despite their huge potential, the way perovskite solar cells respond to external stimuli – such as heat or moisture – has a considerable impact on their stability. Researchers at EPFL have identified the cause of degradation and developed a technique to improve stability, bringing us closer to widespread adoption of these cost-effective and efficient solar cells.
Concentrating solar thermal systems are still little known in Germany, although they are a highly efficient approach to producing heat from solar energy. In such a system, specialised mirrors arranged in different geometries are used to focus the Sun’s rays on a defined area, such as a circle or a line. This heats a heat transfer medium, which then flows through a heat exchanger.