Lower-income communities across the United States have long been much slower to adopt solar power than their affluent neighbors, even when local and federal agencies offer tax breaks and other financial incentives.But, commercial and industrial rooftops, such as those atop retail buildings and factories, offer a big opportunity to reduce what researchers call the “solar equity gap,” according to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-024-01485-y" data-extlink="" target="_blank">a new study</a>, published in Nature Energy and led by researchers at Stanford University.“The solar equity gap is a serious problem in disadvantaged communities, in part because of income inequalities, but also because residential solar isn’t usually practical for people who don’t own their homes,” said <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/ram-rajagopal" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Ram Rajagopal</a>, senior author of the study and associate professor of <a href="https://cee.stanford.edu/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">civil and environmental engineering</a> and of <a href="https://ee.stanford.edu/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">electrical engineering</a> at Stanford. “This new study shows that commercial and industrial properties have the capacity to host solar resources to fill in part of that gap.”<h2>Untapped resources</h2>First, the bad news. The researchers found that non-residential rooftops generate 38% less electricity in disadvantaged communities than in wealthier ones. That gap, which is mainly because of lower deployment in poorer areas, has widened over the past two decades. Nevertheless, this gap is significantly lower than that of residential solar in these neighborhoods.The good news, the researchers say, is that non-residential buildings have large unused capacity to produce solar power for their own benefit and to supply the communities around them. In low-income communities, commercial enterprises may be more responsive to government incentives for solar power than households are. <a href="https://engineering.stanford.edu/magazine/solar-panels-are-largely-confined-wealthy-americans" target="_blank">An earlier study</a> by the same researchers found that residential customers in disadvantaged communities, who may have fewer financial resources and often don’t own their homes, show less response to tax breaks and other financial inducements.“Using Stanford’s <a href="https://deepsolar.web.app/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">DeepSolar</a> database, we estimated that solar arrays on non-residential buildings could meet more than a fifth of annual residential electricity demand in almost two-thirds of disadvantaged communities,” said <a href="https://de.linkedin.com/in/moritz-wussow-35082453?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Moritz Wussow</a>, the study’s lead author.“Also, the raw cost of that power would be less in many communities than the residential rates that local electric utilities charge,” said Wussow, who was a visiting student researcher in Rajagopal’s lab group in 2022 and 2023.To quantify the distribution of non-residential solar power installations, the researchers used satellite images and artificial intelligence to identify the number and size of rooftop solar arrays in 72,739 census tracts across the United States. About one-third of those tracts are deemed disadvantaged by the U.S. government.The team tracked non-residential solar deployment as well as the amount of unused rooftops that would be good candidates for solar installation from 2006 through 2016 and then again for 2022. They then calculated the average annual cost of producing solar electricity in each area, based on the amount of local sun exposure and other variables. The costs ranged from about 6.4 cents per kilowatt-hour in sun-drenched New Mexico to almost 11 cents in Alaska. But those costs were lower than residential electricity rates in many of those areas – even in many northern states.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-zanocco-582a031a" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Chad Zanocco</a>, a co-author of the new study and a postdoctoral fellow in civil and environmental engineering, noted that getting the power to residential areas would include other costs, such as battery storage and the construction of microgrids.“We estimate that battery storage would increase total system costs by about 50%, but even that would be practical in almost two-thirds of the disadvantaged communities we studied,” Zanocco said.<h2>Economies of scale</h2>If commercial and industrial solar arrays can feed their surplus electricity into local power grids, the researchers write, lower-income residents could gain access through community subscriptions rather than by building their own rooftop panels. Commercial and industrial sites also offer greater economies of scale, compared to individual household solar panels. Another big advantage is that non-residential power customers could also be highly sensitive to tax incentives and other government inducements, leading to greater adoption.Further lowering barriers, the researchers noted, is the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which has provided billions of dollars for states and local communities for clean-energy infrastructure. That money has already reduced the cost of new microgrids.“Beyond reducing carbon emissions and slowing climate change, increased access to solar power would offer tangible local benefits to lower-income communities,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhecheng-wang-96287b132/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Zhecheng Wang</a>, a co-author and a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.“This would promote local clean and low-cost energy generation, which would also increase the resilience from outages and reduce the pollution caused by fossil fuel power plants – many of which are located in low-income areas.”Additional Stanford co-authors on the paper are:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajanieprabha" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Rajanie Prabha</a>, a PhD student in Civil &amp; Environmental Engineering;&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/june-flora" data-extlink="" target="_blank">June Flora</a>, a senior research scholar in Civil &amp; Environmental Engineering, and in Stanford’s School of Medicine; and&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/arun-majumdar" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Arun Majumdar</a>, dean of Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, professor in the departments of Energy Science &amp; Engineering, of Mechanical Engineering, and of Photon Science at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and senior fellow at the Precourt Institute and Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Civil &amp; Environmental Engineering is a joint department of the&nbsp;<a href="https://engineering.stanford.edu/" target="_blank">Stanford School of Engineering</a>&nbsp;and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.is.uni-freiburg.de/mitarbeiter-en/team/dirk-neumann" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Dirk Neumann</a>, a professor of information systems research at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Freiburg, Germany, is also a co-author. Ram Rajagopal is also co-director of the Bits &amp; Watts Initiative at the&nbsp;<a href="http://energy.stanford.edu/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Precourt Institute for Energy</a>, which is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://sustainability.stanford.edu/" data-extlink="" target="_blank">Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability</a>.

What measures can be taken to reduce the "solar equity gap"? | Image courtesy of Hans Wilschut

A new study finds that factory and warehouse rooftops offer a big untapped opportunity to help disadvantaged communities bridge the solar energy divide.

Stanford-led research shows how commercial rooftop solar power could bring affordable clean energy to low-income homes

As network reliability is&nbsp;increasingly tested by aging power infrastructure and the complex demands of renewable energy, cellular IoT provides timely solutions. LTE-M or NB-IoT provide a ready-made connectivity solution for smart grids because they are robust, wireless technologies tailor-made for large scale IoT deployments like sensor networks and smart meters.&nbsp;<h2>Feeling the heat&nbsp;</h2>Temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius are common in Northern India in July. Yet at 2:30am on July 30, 2012, two of the country’s four power grids were under such intense pressure circuit breakers began to trip. Soon India was in the grip of the largest power outage in history. And just when the grid returned to normal, it failed again on an even larger scale. An estimated 670 million people were affected in the ensuing chaos.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the time, India’s power network—like many countries—was aging and complex. It had been built to distribute conventional energy sources in straightforward ways. Constructed in the 1960s and 70s, the infrastructure was designed to support the one-way flow of energy from centralized power stations to consumers. It performed satisfactorily but lacked the flexibility and control to deal with new power sources.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Renewables enter the energy mix&nbsp;</h2>Today, a lot of power in India and elsewhere is still generated using conventional power stations, but many other power sources are also used. Today, almost a third of electricity worldwide comes from renewable sources according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, wind farms, hydro power, geothermal and bioenergy all contribute.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many of these power sources are highly variable, so they need to be switched in and out quickly and efficiently as conditions dictate. But existing grids simply don’t have the inbuilt flexibility to manage all the added demands and intricacies renewable energy brings. And the rapid growth of the electric vehicle (EV) fleet, with its inherent recharging demands, puts even more strain on already struggling power infrastructure. So, how can the world’s distribution networks keep up with the increasingly complex nature of today’s mixed power portfolio yet still minimize outages?&nbsp;<h2>The&nbsp;IoT&nbsp;is the key&nbsp;</h2>Since its problems early in the last decade, India has invested millions in smart grid technology and smart metering to help prevent a recurrence of mass power outages. Smart grids use a network that supports the bidirectional energy flow and communication between many different generation sources and loads. Such a grid relies on the IoT to take advantage of information from sensors to encourage collaborative actions between the utility and its customers.&nbsp;For example,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Wireless/Low-power-cellular-IoT" target="_blank">low power cellular IoT</a>&nbsp;can be used to monitor grid conditions, detect faults, and trigger preemptive maintenance before an outage occurs. No matter how geographically remote parts of the grid might be, if there’s cellular coverage, LTE-M or NB-IoT connected sensors can be installed on network infrastructure to flag malfunctions, power surges, fires, and even a transmission tower collapse. IoT sensors can also be used to trigger reclosers and other switching equipment to rapidly connect and disconnect energy sources.&nbsp;The IoT also helps speed up the return to service after problems. For example, before the IoT, fault detection relied on customers reporting a problem. Maintenance crews were then sent to locate the fault (which could take hours), then isolate lines, and restore power. It was a lengthy process especially in remote areas. Now, by using the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) capability built into cellular IoT devices such as Nordic’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF9160" target="_blank">nRF9160</a>, the location of any faults can be accurately pinpointed and lines remotely isolated - saving time and resources.&nbsp;<h2>The non-cellular alternative for IoT&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Wireless/DECT-NR" target="_blank">DECT NR+</a>&nbsp;(“NR+”) a non-cellular technology which supports kilometer range and up to one million devices per square kilometer, is highly scalable and offers enterprises such as solar or wind farms a standardized IoT alternative to existing proprietary technology. The technology operates on the global and license-exempt 1.9 GHz band.&nbsp;&nbsp;Designed with an emphasis on ultra-high reliability and ultra-low latency, NR+ enables the replacement of low latency wired systems with equivalent wireless communications in enterprise applications across the energy distribution grid. A further advantage is that NR+ cuts deployment costs by eliminating data charges and the need for certification from operators.&nbsp;<h2>Machine Learning (ML)&nbsp;sifts out the&nbsp;important data&nbsp;</h2>Devices such as Nordic’s nRF9160 SiP incorporate powerful processors that can support machine learning (ML) at the edge of the network. ML models can be used to reliably distinguish between a significant and insignificant event on the grid eliminating transmission of unimportant data to the Cloud.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, the device only sends a notification when it determines intervention is required. This not only lowers costs, but it also reduces the power consumption of potentially millions of devices operating in remote environments where battery replacement is simply impractical.&nbsp;While wind can’t be relied on to constantly blow, and sunlight can’t be relied on to continuously shine on solar panels. But what is a little more reliable is the many years of historical data. Because of this data, variations in wind and sunlight are largely predictable allowing grid operators to program ML models accordingly. The models can then supervise energy source switches ahead of anticipated variability.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Stabilizing the grid&nbsp;with the IoT&nbsp;</h2>While historical data can be used to predict variable energy inputs, at the other end of the supply chain, utilities can incentivize customers to shift or shed electricity demand to help with grid balancing. The IoT helps here too with cellular IoT-powered smart meters not only measuring and recording electricity consumption and generation, plus communicating this information to consumers and utilities, but also receiving signals from utilities or other service providers such as price changes or other incentives designed to limit consumption.&nbsp;Cellular IoT provides a ready-made connectivity solution for “demand response” strategies. Using the IoT, demand response can be controlled automatically and seamlessly to reduce peak consumption and enable the aggregation and remote control of smaller dispersed renewable resources. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the U.S. has 200 gigawatts of cost-effective load flexibility potential that could be realized by 2030 if effective demand response is actively pursued.&nbsp;<h2>The Internet of Energy&nbsp;</h2>With fast, high-quality wireless networks, energy consuming devices can be connected to the smart grid to form the ‘The Internet of Energy’. Such a network will allow energy companies to optimize resources and maximize grid performance. Governments can develop informed policies and regulation, and consumers can save money. It’s a win-win-win for the smart grid of the future, and the planet.&nbsp;

As network reliability is increasingly tested by aging power infrastructure and the complex demands of renewable energy, cellular IoT provides timely solutions. 

Ensuring distribution network reliability in the age of renewable energy

Research and industry worldwide are working on the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaics.&nbsp;Most research laboratories focus on solvent-based manufacturing processes because they are versatile and easy to use.&nbsp;However, established photovoltaic companies today rely almost exclusively on vacuum processes to deposit high-quality thin films.&nbsp;An international consortium led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, USA) has analyzed this critical discrepancy between laboratory and industry.&nbsp;They emphasize: Industrially proven vacuum processes could, with certain improvements, contribute to the rapid commercialization of perovskite solar cells.&nbsp;The results appeared in&nbsp;Energy &amp; Environmental Science (DOI:&nbsp;<a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/ee/d3ee03273f" target="_blank">10.1039/d3ee03273f</a> ).Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells have undergone rapid development in the past ten years: Efficiencies of more than 33 percent have been achieved in research.&nbsp;This means they are already better than conventional silicon-based solar cells.&nbsp;However, it is still not ready for the market.&nbsp;One of the hurdles is the unresolved question of which process can best be used to produce perovskite solar cells as a mass product.&nbsp;Solvent-based manufacturing processes that are used in laboratories worldwide are contrasted with vapor phase deposition processes in vacuum, which are still standard today in the production of thin films in photovoltaics or in the production of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). &nbsp; In a current comparative study, an international consortium of academic and industrial partners led by NREL and KIT revealed major differences in the scientific approach to these production processes.&nbsp;Tenure-track professor Ulrich W. Paetzold from the Institute of Microstructure Technology and the Light Technology Institute of KIT explains: “98 percent of all scientific studies in 2022 were published on solvent-based processes.&nbsp;Vacuum-based processes that have proven themselves in industry for decades and could significantly advance the commercialization of solar cells are neglected.”To explain: Solvent-based production uses inks in which organic and inorganic salts are dissolved in a solvent.&nbsp;These inks can then be deposited onto the surface of a substrate via various printing techniques.&nbsp;In contrast, vacuum-based manufacturing uses dry and solvent-free processes.&nbsp;The materials are sublimated in a vacuum with the addition of heat, i.e. transferred from the solid to the gaseous state and condensed on the substrate surface.&nbsp;In principle, it is also possible to combine both processes for the production of perovskite solar cells.<h2>Laboratory efficiencies and throughput are not everything when it comes to mass production</h2>In the study, the authors analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.&nbsp;The dominance of solvent-based production in research so far lies in its uncomplicated handling in laboratories, which is the reason for very good results in terms of efficiency under laboratory conditions and its low costs.&nbsp;In addition, there is the possible scalable roll-to-roll production, i.e. endless deposition between two rolls, similar to newspaper printing.In comparison, the vacuum-based production process causes slightly higher investment costs and, based on the processes used in research, is currently still behind in terms of deposition speed, i.e. production throughput.&nbsp;However, the authors show a variety of possible solutions and estimate that it is competitive taking into account real parameters such as electricity costs, production yield, material, decommissioning or recycling costs.&nbsp;Above all, the good repeatability of the deposition, the simple process control, the availability of industrial process equipment and the easy scaling of the deposition from small solar cell areas in the laboratory to application-relevant product areas make the process highly interesting for commercialization.&nbsp;“Vacuum-based production performs better than its reputation,” says Tobias Abzieh.&nbsp;It is therefore not surprising that the authors, in a first-ever published overview of commercialization activities in perovskite technology, were already able to demonstrate a lively interest in vacuum-based processes for the production of perovskite solar cells on the part of industry - despite the discrepancy in this regard on the method mainly used in research.In order for vacuum-based processes to fully exploit their scaling effects, the manufacturing method still needs to be further improved, according to the researchers. Among other things, further research must be carried out on the quality of the separation in order to further increase the efficiency. It is also important to significantly increase the speed of deposition. “Vacuum-based manufacturing processes are not only the industry’s first choice when it comes to bringing thin-film technologies to market maturity. Our analysis also shows that the processes are competitive with solvent-based approaches,” adds David More from NREL.<hr>Original publicationTobias Abzieh, David T. Moore, Marcel Roß, Steve Albrecht, Jared Silvia, Hairen Tan, Quentin Jeangros, Christophe Ballif, Maximilian T. Hoerantner, Beom-Soo Kim, Henk J. Bolink, Paul Pistor, Jan Christoph Goldschmidt, Yu -Hsien Chiang, Samuel D. Stranks, Juliane Borchert, Michael D. McGehee, Monica Morales-Masis, Jay B. Patel, Annalisa Bruno and Ulrich W. Paetzold: Vapor phase deposition of perovskite photovoltaics: short track to commercialization? Energy &amp; Environmental Science, 2024. DOI: 10.1039/d3ee03273f

Perovskite photovoltaics promise high levels of efficiency. Researchers from KIT and partners have now analyzed different production approaches. (Photo: Tobias Zieher)

Various production approaches in research and industry – comparative study explores paths to mass production

Perovskite Solar Cells: Vacuum Process Can Lead to Market Readiness

Energy is everywhere, affecting everything, all the time. And it can be manipulated and converted into the kind of energy that we depend on as a civilization. But transforming this ambient energy (the result of gyrating atoms and molecules) into something we can plug into and use when we need it requires specific materials.These energy materials — some natural, some manufactured, some a combination — facilitate the conversion or transmission of energy. They also play an essential role in how we store energy, how we reduce power consumption, and how we develop cleaner, efficient energy solutions.“Advanced materials and clean energy technologies are tightly connected, and at Georgia Tech we’ve been making major investments in people and facilities in batteries, solar energy, and hydrogen, for several decades,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://ae.gatech.edu/directory/person/timothy-charles-lieuwen" target="_blank">Tim Lieuwen</a>, the David S. Lewis Jr. Chair and professor of aerospace engineering, and executive director of Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute (<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/energy" target="_blank">SEI</a>).That research synergy is the underpinning of&nbsp;<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/energymaterials" target="_blank">Georgia Tech Energy Materials Day (March 27)</a>, a gathering of people from academia, government, and industry, co-hosted by SEI, the Institute for Materials (<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/materials" target="_blank">IMat</a>), and the Georgia Tech Advanced Battery Center. This event aims to build on the momentum created by&nbsp;<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/georgia-tech-battery-day-reveals-opportunities-energy-storage-research" target="_blank">Georgia Tech Battery Day</a>, held in March 2023, which drew more than 230 energy researchers and industry representatives.“We thought it would be a good idea to expand on the Battery Day idea and showcase a wide range of research and expertise in other areas, such as solar energy and clean fuels, in addition to what we’re doing in batteries and energy storage,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/people/matthew-mcdowell" target="_blank">Matt McDowell</a>, associate professor in the George W.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering</a> and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)</a>, and co-director, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/people/gleb-yushin" target="_blank">Gleb Yushin</a>, of the Advanced Battery Center.Energy Materials Day will bring together experts from academia, government, and industry to discuss and accelerate research in three key areas: battery materials and technologies, photovoltaics and the grid, and materials for carbon-neutral fuel production, “all of which are crucial for driving the clean energy transition,” noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/people/eric-vogel" target="_blank">Eric Vogel</a>, executive director of IMat and the Hightower Professor of Materials Science and Engineering.“Georgia Tech is leading the charge in research in these three areas,” he said. “And we’re excited to unite so many experts to spark the important discussions that will help us advance our nation’s path to net-zero emissions.”<h2>Building an Energy Hub</h2>Energy Materials Day is part of an ongoing, long-range effort to position Georgia Tech, and Georgia, as a go-to location for modern energy companies. So far, the message seems to be landing. Georgia has had more than $28 billion invested or announced in electric vehicle-related projects since 2020. And Georgia Tech was recently ranked by U.S. News &amp; World Report as the&nbsp;<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/georgia-tech-named-top-ranked-public-university-energy" target="_blank">top public university for energy research</a>.Georgia has become a major player in solar energy, also, with the announcement last year of a $2.5 billion plant being developed by Korean solar company Hanwha Qcells, taking advantage of President Biden’s climate policies. Qcells’ global chief technology officer, Danielle Merfeld, a member of SEI’s External Advisory Board, will be the keynote speaker for Energy Materials Day.“Growing these industry relationships, building trust through collaborations with industry — these have been strong motivations in our efforts to create a hub here in Atlanta,” said Yushin, professor in MSE and co-founder of Sila Nanotechnologies, a battery materials startup valued at more than $3 billion.McDowell and Yushin are leading the battery initiative for Energy Materials Day and they’ll be among 12 experts making presentations on battery materials and technologies, including six from Georgia Tech and four from industry. In addition to the formal sessions and presentations, there will also be an opportunity for networking.“I think Georgia Tech has a responsibility to help grow a manufacturing ecosystem,” McDowell said. “We have the research and educational experience and expertise that companies need, and we’re working to coordinate our efforts with industry.”<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/marta-hatzell" target="_blank">Marta Hatzell</a>, associate professor of mechanical engineering and chemical and biomolecular engineering, is leading the carbon-neutral fuel production portion of the event, while&nbsp;<a href="https://research.gatech.edu/juan-pablo-correa-baena" target="_blank">Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena</a>, assistant professor in MSE, is leading the photovoltaics initiative.They’ll be joined by a host of experts from Georgia Tech and institutes across the country, “some of the top thought leaders in their fields,” said Correa-Baena, whose lab has spent years optimizing a semiconductor material for solar energy conversion.“Over the past decade, we have been working to achieve high efficiencies in solar panels based on a new, low-cost material called halide perovskites,” he said. His lab recently discovered how to&nbsp;<a href="https://coe.gatech.edu/news/2023/12/researchers-find-they-can-stop-degradation-promising-solar-cell-materials" target="_blank">prevent the chemical interactions that can degrade it</a>. “It’s kind of a miracle material, and we want to increase its lifespan, make it more robust and commercially relevant.”While Correa-Baena is working to revolutionize solar energy, Hatzell’s lab is designing materials to clean up the manufacturing of clean fuels.“We’re interested in decarbonizing the industrial sector, through the production of carbon-neutral fuels,” said Hatzell, whose lab is designing new materials to make clean ammonia and hydrogen, both of which have the potential to play a major role in a carbon-free fuel system, without using fossil fuels as the feedstock. “We’re also working on a collaborative project focusing on assessing the economics of clean ammonia on a larger, global scale.”The hope for Energy Materials Day is that other collaborations will be fostered as industry’s needs and the research enterprise collide in one place — Georgia Tech’s Exhibition Hall — over one day. The event is part of what Yushin called “the snowball effect.”“You attract a new company to the region, and then another,” he said. “If we want to boost domestic production and supply chains, we must roll like a snowball gathering momentum. Education is a significant part of that effect. To build this new technology and new facilities for a new industry, you need trained, talented engineers. And we’ve got plenty of those. Georgia Tech can become the single point of contact, helping companies solve the technical challenges in a new age of clean energy.”

Energy materials facilitate the conversion or transmission of energy. They also play an essential role in how we store energy, reduce power consumption, and develop cleaner, efficient energy solutions.

Energy Materials: Driving the Clean Energy Transition

As the world looks to phase out fossil fuels in favor of cleaner, renewable energy sources, more effort is being put into improving existing renewable technologies and creating devices that can harness renewable energy sources in new ways. Sunlight captured in solar cells is currently one of the most used renewable energy sources. However, there are also a number of other ways in which sunlight can be harnessed to produce energy.Given the amount of sun that hits the Earth each day, there is excellent potential for solar-based energy harvesting devices to become one of the front runners in a cleaner and greener society—and expand on their existing position as one of the leading renewable technologies. Designers are testing and using 2D materials in a number of these solar-harvesting systems, from the widespread use of graphene in solar cells to the use of different 2D materials in photocatalytic and photothermal harvesting approaches.<h2>Photovoltaics (Solar Cells)</h2>Of all the solar harvesting methodologies and technologies in existence, solar cells are by and far the most commercialized, most popular, and most efficient choice. There are several bulk solar cells in existence composed of silicon and perovskite materials. In addition, a number of approaches are being developed where 2D materials (and other nanomaterials) are being used to either improve the performance of bulk silicon solar cells or offer a way to create much thinner and/or more flexible solar cells. In the latter, there are already a number of flexible organic solar cells; however, the active materials tend to suffer from a much lower performance than inorganic materials, so 2D materials offer a way of providing thinner solar cells with much-improved performance.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1707665382989-nuno-marques-0GbrjL3vZF4-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo by Nuno Marques on UnsplashMany devices are in existence where doped graphene has been used as the photoactive material in the semiconducting photovoltaic junction within solar cells, sometimes on its own and other times in conjunction with silicon in bulkier solar cells. Beyond this, graphene and its derivatives are touted as an alternative for the hole transport layer instead of expensive noble metals, such as silver and gold, in an attempt to lower the cost of large-scale solar cells. Graphene is also used in conjunction with silicon in a number of other hybrid devices, including in the creation of thinner, flexible and semi-transparent solar cells.While graphene is gathering the most interest, graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are being integrated into different solar cells—because of their stability and resistance to several potentially degrading stimuli—to improve their long-term stability and ensure that they run optimally for longer. These 2D materials are being integrated into a wide range of bulk solar cells on a commercial level, including in silicon and perovskite solar cells as well as in tandem solar cells.In recent years, the interest in flexible solar cells has significantly grown, and while graphene was the first 2D material tested for solar cells, the area has since expanded and continues to do so. In recent years, TMDCs have been used alongside graphene to create efficient, flexible solar cells and perovskite materials are now being made into 2D sheets to try and emulate the success of the bulkier perovskite solar cells—but in the form of a much smaller and flexible solar cell. 2D perovskite solar cells have not yet been able to reach the heights of their bulkier counterparts, but it is a much newer addition to the 2D family, so there is still plenty of time for them to play a part in 2D material-enhanced solar cells.<h2>Photocatalytic Harvesting</h2>Photocatalytic reactions generate new greener fuels and are different from many other energy harvesting technologies where the direct output is electricity. In photocatalytic harvesting, the energy from sunlight is harvested to produce fuel, which can then be used to power devices and electronic systems. Photocatalytic harvesting is currently a promising approach in water splitting technologies to produce hydrogen fuel.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzA3NjY1MTg2MzAzLWFuZHJlYXMtZ3Vja2xob3JuLUlscGYyZVVQcFVFLXVuc3BsYXNoLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on UnsplashPhotocatalytic harvesting occurs when semiconducting materials are used. The photocatalytic harvesting occurs because the photons from the sunlight (with a high energy) generate an electron-hole pair in the semiconducting material once absorbed. However, these photogenerated excited states tend to be unstable, so the charge carriers recombine. During this separation and recombination process, the electrons and holes are transported across the surface of the material, which either reduces or oxidizes the absorbed atoms. It is this process that leads to the generation of hydrogen gas, and there is a similar photocatalytic process that can be used to generate oxygen molecules as well (often at the same time).Photocatalytic reactions can be initiated using a number of materials, and a number of different semiconducting 2D materials are used for these photocatalytic harvesting reactions. In many cases, the exposed edges on the 2D sheets offer an effective site for the photocatalytic reactions to take place. TMDCs, such as molybdenum disulfide, have gathered a great deal of interest because the sheets actively absorb hydrogen ions. Graphene and its derivatives—especially doped versions to make them semiconducting—are also well-tested materials because the high surface area of both graphene and TMDCs, alongside their absorption and electrical conductivity properties, make them suitable catalytic sites for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) to produce hydrogen fuel.<h2>Photothermal Harvesting</h2>Photothermal harvesting approaches once again offer a different approach to many conventional solar harvesting technologies. In these harvesting methods, photothermal materials are used to absorb light energy and convert it into heat energy. 2D materials have a range of optical properties that can be harnessed to absorb light waves—and subsequently convert it into heat—with some of the 2D materials exhibiting optical properties that are unique and not found in other material classes, while others having very beneficial properties in general.2D materials are known to absorb wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation across a wide spectrum, including in the visible and near-infrared regions. However, these applications are very different in that these approaches are typically used in medical applications to enable different treatments to take place. The absorption of light and generation of heat means that different medical treatments can take place without the need for more invasive approaches. For example, heat is generated in the form of a vibrational energy, and this energy can be used to target and kill cancer cells.It's an approach that is more niche in nature, and while it doesn’t power devices, different 2D materials—from graphene derivatives, to TMDCs, to MXenes—are being used to harvest light to provide new and efficient medical treatments, and photothermal therapies are becoming an interesting application area for 2D materials alongside the more conventional solar energy harvesting operations.<h2>Conclusion</h2>Solar harvesting, in the form of solar cells, is already an established technology, but 2D materials are offering a way of improving the efficiencies and long-term stabilities of solar cells as well as offering new ways of creating thin, flexible, and transparent solar cells. Beyond solar cells, 2D materials offer great potential for creating hydrogen fuel via photocatalytic reactions and harvesting light for advanced cancer therapies. As modern society looks toward more ways of harvesting our natural environment, 2D materials offer a way to harvest solar rays into a usable output efficiently.

As the world looks to phase out fossil fuels in favor of cleaner, renewable energy sources, more effort is being put into improving existing renewable technologies and creating devices that can harness renewable energy sources in new ways.

Using 2D Materials in Photo-Harvesting Applications

What happens when you expose tellurite glass to femtosecond laser light? That’s the question that Gözden Torun at the Galatea Lab, in a collaboration with Tokyo Tech scientists, aimed to answer in her thesis work when she made the discovery that may one day turn windows into single material light-harvesting and sensing devices. The results are published in&nbsp;PR Applied.Interested in how the atoms in the tellurite glass would reorganize when exposed to fast pulses of high energy femtosecond laser light, the scientists stumbled upon&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202210446" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the formation of nanoscale tellurium and tellurium oxide crystals</a>, both semiconducting materials etched into the glass, precisely where the glass had been exposed. That was the eureka moment for the scientists, since a semiconducting material exposed to daylight may lead to the generation of electricity.“Tellurium being semiconducting, based on this finding we wondered if it would be possible to write durable patterns on the tellurite glass surface that could reliably induce electricity when exposed to light, and the answer is yes,” explains Yves Bellouard who runs EPFL’s Galatea Laboratory. “An interesting twist to the technique is that no additional materials are needed in the process. All you need is tellurite glass and a femtosecond laser to make an active photoconductive material.”Using tellurite glass produced by colleagues at Tokyo Tech, the EPFL team brought their expertise in femtosecond laser technology to modify the glass and analyze the effect of the laser. After exposing a simple line pattern on the surface of a tellurite glass 1 cm in diameter, Torun found that it could generate a current when exposing it to UV light and the visible spectrum, and this, reliably for months.“It’s fantastic, we’re locally turning glass into a semiconductor using light,” says Yves Bellouard. “We’re essentially transforming materials into something else, perhaps approaching the dream of the alchemist!”.<hr>References<a href="https://journals.aps.org/prapplied/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.21.014008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://journals.aps.org/prapplied/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.21.014008</a>

A photoconductive circuit, where the circuit is directly patterned onto a glass surface with femtosecond laser light - 2024 EPFL / Lisa Ackermann - CC-BY-SA 4.0

EPFL physicists propose a novel way to create photoconductive circuits, where the circuit is directly patterned onto a glass surface with femtosecond laser light. The new technology may one day be useful for harvesting energy, while remaining transparent to light and using a single material.

Turning glass into a 'transparent' light-energy harvester

Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors can convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells.&nbsp;In order to bring this technology to market, stability and production processes must be further improved.&nbsp;Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as well as the Helmholtz Imaging platforms at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Helmholtz AI have now found a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and thus the solar cells: using machine learning and new artificial methods Intelligence (AI) allows this to be recognized during production from variations in light emission.&nbsp;The team reports on the results from which improved production processes can be derived in Advanced Materials (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307160).Perovskite tandem solar cells combine a perovskite with a conventional solar cell, for example based on silicon.&nbsp;They are considered next-generation technology because, with an efficiency of currently more than 33 percent, they are much more efficient than conventional silicon solar cells - with inexpensive starting materials and simple manufacturing methods.&nbsp;The prerequisite for achieving this level of efficiency is a very high-quality and extremely thin perovskite layer, which is only a fraction of the thickness of a human hair.&nbsp;“One of the biggest challenges is to produce these high-quality so-called multicrystalline thin films using cost-effective and scalable processes without defects and holes,” explains tenure-track professor Ulrich W. Paetzold from the Institute of Microstructure Technology and the Light Engineering Institute of KIT.&nbsp;Even under apparently perfect conditions in the laboratory, unknown influences lead to fluctuations in the quality of the semiconductor layers: “This ultimately prevents the rapid start of industrial production of these highly efficient solar cells, which we so urgently need for the energy transition,” says Paetzold.<h2>AI finds hidden signs of a good coating</h2>In order to find out which factors influence the coating, an interdisciplinary team of perovskite solar cell experts from KIT teamed up with machine learning and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) specialists from Helmholtz Imaging (at the DKFZ in Heidelberg) and Helmholtz AI ( at KIT).&nbsp;The researchers have developed AI methods that train and analyze so-called neural networks using a large data set.&nbsp;The data set includes video recordings of the photoluminescence of the perovskite thin films during the manufacturing process.&nbsp;Photoluminescence refers to the radiant emission of the semiconductor layers after excitation by an external light source.&nbsp;“Since even experts couldn’t see anything remarkable on the thin films, the idea arose to train an AI for machine learning (deep learning) to find hidden indicators of a good or bad coating in the millions of data from the videos,” explain Lukas Klein and Sebastian Ziegler from Helmholtz Imaging at the DKFZ. &nbsp; In order to filter and analyze the very broad information provided by deep learning AI, the researchers subsequently used methods of explainable artificial intelligence.<h2>“Blueprint for follow-up research”</h2>The result: In the experiment, the researchers were able to see that the photoluminescence varies during production and this influences the coating quality. “What was crucial in our work was that we specifically used XAI methods to see which factors would have to change for a high-quality solar cell,” said Klein and Ziegler. That is usually not the case. Most of the time, XAI is only used as a kind of guardrail to avoid errors when building AI models: “This is a paradigm shift, and the fact that we can systematically gain highly relevant findings in materials science in this way is new.” Because the answer is based on the variation of the Photoluminescence enabled the researchers to go further. After appropriate training of the neural networks, the AI was able to predict whether the solar cell would achieve low or high efficiency, depending on when and what variation in light emission occurred during production. “These are extremely exciting results,” says Ulrich W. Paetzold. “Thanks to the combined use of AI, we have an idea of which adjustments we need to make first in order to improve production. We can carry out our experiments in a more targeted manner and no longer have to search for a needle in a haystack in the dark. This is a blueprint for follow-up research, including for many other aspects in energy research and materials science.”<hr><h3>Original publication</h3>Lukas Klein, Sebastian Ziegler, Felix Laufer, Charlotte Debus, Markus Götz, Klaus Maier-Hein, Ulrich W. Paetzold, Fabian Isensee, Paul F. Jäger: Discovering Process Dynamics for Scalable Perovskite Solar Cell Manufacturing with Explainable AI. Advanced Materials, 2023. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307160

With the support of AI methods, researchers want to improve the manufacturing processes for highly efficient perovskite solar cells (Photo: Amadeus Bramsiepe, KIT)

Artificial intelligence methods show researchers the way to improved manufacturing processes for highly efficient solar cells - a blueprint for other research fields

AI for Perovskite Solar Cells: Key to Better Production

Photovoltaic systems in combination with battery storage enable more independence in energy supply.&nbsp;Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and their partners have investigated how great the potential is for a completely self-sufficient energy supply for residential buildings.&nbsp;In the trade magazine&nbsp;Joule they show that 53 percent of single-family homes in Europe could already become technically energy self-sufficient.&nbsp;By 2050, more than two million buildings could leave the network through additional investments of 50 percent.&nbsp;(DOI:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.09.012" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.09.012</a> )Electricity prices in Europe have been rising for years - after Russia's attack on Ukraine, they have now reached a record level, according to Eurostat calculations.&nbsp;At the same time, photovoltaics and battery storage are making it increasingly easier to become less dependent on energy suppliers.&nbsp;“By investing in local energy supply systems, a large part of one's own electricity consumption can be covered by oneself and thus the dependence on high electricity prices can be reduced,” says lead author Max Kleinebrahm, group leader at the Institute for Industrial Management and Industrial Production (IIP) at KIT.&nbsp;In Europe, building owners are increasingly opting for more independence: “In addition to economic efficiency, non-monetary aspects such as a high proportion of renewable energies, the rejection of the use of nuclear and fossil energies and a high degree of self-sufficiency also play a role in the decision increasingly important role.” A team from KIT, together with researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich, ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute, calculated how big the step would be from partially self-sufficient to complete self-sufficiency with electricity and heat.<h2>How much does energy independence cost in your own home?</h2>The basis for their calculations is a database in which geographically high-resolution information on the European building stock and the households living in them was combined with local climatic and economic conditions.&nbsp;By using novel methods to reduce complexity on high-performance computers, cost-optimized, energy-autonomous supply systems were initially configured for 4,000 representative single-family homes.&nbsp;In a further step, neural networks were then used to transfer the results to the 41 million single-family homes examined.&nbsp;“Under today’s conditions, 53 percent of the 41 million buildings are technically capable of powering themselves through the use of local rooftop solar radiation alone, independent of external infrastructure, and this share could rise to 75 percent by 2050 due to improved technologies,” says Professor Russell McKenna from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) and head of the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.&nbsp;“If you now assume that building owners would be willing to invest up to 50 percent more than would be necessary for a comparable energy system with a grid connection, then up to two million single-family homes could leave the power grid by 2050.”The researchers see significant potential for energy self-sufficient residential buildings, especially in regions with low seasonal weather fluctuations, such as in Spain, or with high electricity prices, such as in Germany.&nbsp;The specific design of the cost-optimized energy systems has also been determined: “Our results show that a successful, cost-optimal and self-sufficient energy supply system for buildings in Central Europe will consist of photovoltaics to generate electricity as well as a combination of short-term battery storage and a long-term, seasonal hydrogen storage system,” says Dr.&nbsp;Jann Weinand, head of department at the Research Center Jülich.<h2>More stability for the energy system</h2>In further work, the researchers want to analyze in more detail what effects a possible large-scale spread of self-sufficient energy supply systems would have on the European energy system, but they suspect a positive effect.&nbsp;“Semi-autonomous residential buildings could help to stabilize the overall energy system in the future.&nbsp;A less pronounced demand profile from households could dampen demand for peak-load power plants,” says Elias Naber from KIT’s IIP.&nbsp;“However, it would then have to be prevented that building owners become completely disconnected from the grid – for example by rewarding them with special electricity tariffs for grid-friendly behavior.”Original publication Max Kleinebrahm, Jann Michael Weinand, Elias Naber, Russell McKenna, Armin Ardone, Wolf Fichtner: Two million European single-family homes could abandon the grid by 2050. (2023) <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.09.012" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule .2023.09.012</a>

Ahead with solar power: Over half of European single-family homes could become energy independent. (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)

According to calculations by KIT researchers, more than half of European single-family homes could be completely self-sufficient in energy

Energy Turnaround: Energy Self-sufficiency in Single-Family Homes

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) stand at the forefront of solar energy innovation, and have drawn a lot of attention for their power-conversion efficiency and cost-effective manufacturing. But the way to commercialization of PSCs still has a hurdle to overcome: achieving both high efficiency and long-term stability, especially in challenging environmental conditions.The solution lies in the interplay between the layers of PSCs, which has proven to be a double-edged sword. The layers can enhance the cells’ performance but also cause them to degrade too quickly for regular use in everyday life.Now, a collaboration between the labs of Michael Grätzel at EPFL and Edward Sargent at Northwestern University, has made a significant leap in designing PSCs with record stability and power-conversion efficiency surpassing 25% addressing two of the most pressing challenges in the solar energy sector. The research is published in&nbsp;Nature.The researchers focused on designing inverted PSCs, which have previously shown promise in terms of operational stability. They introduced a unique, “conformal self-assembled monolayer on textured substrates”, which describes a special, single layer of molecules that spontaneously and uniformly coats the irregular surface of a textured substrate.The new design tackles the problem of “molecular agglomeration”, which occurs when molecules clump together instead of spreading out evenly. When this happens on the textured surfaces of solar cells, it can seriously affect their performance.To address this, the researchers introduced a special molecule called 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) into the solar cells’ self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed by a molecular layer of phosphonic acids substituted by carbazole, which selectively extracts the positive charge carriers (“holes”) that are produced under illumination in the perovskite films.However, this role is compromised by the aggregation of the PAC molecules. Adding 3-MPA enhances the contact between the perovskite material and the solar cell's textured substrate to improve performance and stability, allowing it to disassemble molecular carbazole clusters, and ensuring a more even distribution of the molecules in the self-assembled monolayer. With this addition, the molecules on the solar cell's surface spread out more uniformly, avoiding those problematic clumps and enhancing the PSC’s overall stability and efficiency.The new design enhanced light absorption while minimizing energy losses at the interface between layers, leading to a lab-measured power-conversion efficiency of an impressive 25.3%. In terms of stability, the inverted PSCs showed remarkable resilience. The device maintained 95% of its peak performance even after being subjected to rigorous conditions of 65°C and 50% relative humidity for over 1000 hours. This level of stability, combined with such high efficiency, is unprecedented in the realm of PSCs.This breakthrough design is a significant step forward in putting PSCs into the market; addressing both their efficiency and stability issues, combined with their lower manufacturing costs compared to current solar cells, can lead to widespread adoption. The new method can also go beyond solar cells, benefiting other optoelectronic devices that require efficient light management, such as LEDs and photodetectors.<hr>Other contributors:<ul><li>University of Toronto</li><li>Peking University</li><li>University of Kentucky</li><li>North Carolina State University</li></ul>ReferencesSo Min Park, Mingyang Wei, Nikolaos Lempesis, Wenjin Yu, Tareq Hossain, Lorenzo Agosta, Virginia Carnevali, Harindi R. Atapattu, Peter Serles, Felix T. Eickemeyer, Heejong Shin, Maral Vafaie, Deokjae Choi, Kasra Darabi, Eui Dae Jung, Yi Yang, Da Bin Kim, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Bin Chen, Aram Amassian, Tobin Filleter, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Kenneth R. Graham, Lixin Xiao, Ursula Rothlisberger, Michael Grätzel, and Edward H. Sargent. Low-loss contacts on textured substrates for inverted perovskite solar cells. Nature October 19, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-023-01377-7

Researchers at EPFL and Northwestern University unveil a groundbreaking design for perovskite solar cells, creating one of the most stable PSCs with a power-conversion efficiency above 25%, paving the way for future commercialization.

New design solves stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells

<h2 id="isPasted">Troubles due to Static Electricity and Research on Power Generation Utilizing Static Electricity</h2>Static electricity is a source of trouble in winter when the air is dry in some countries and regions. Static electricity refers to electricity that is literally static; that is, it is electricity whereby the electric charges*1 do not move and the state of electrification*2 is maintained.High voltages of several kV may be generated between a person charged with electricity by the friction of clothing or another reason and an object not charged with electricity. At that time, if that person touches or approaches that object, a discharge occurs in which the electrified charges instantly flow to the object. This static electricity phenomenon is called electrostatic discharge (ESD)*3.In addition, the polarities (positive/negative) of the electric charges of objects charged with electricity repel each other if they are the same and attract each other if they are different. In the latter case, that may also cause unnecessary dust, dirt, and other elements to adhere to the product.Below are typical troubles due to this static electricity and also examples relating to the effective utilization of static electricity.*1 Electric charges: Electricity is one of the properties inherent to matter. The source of that electricity is called the electric charge. Electric charges have two types of polarity: positive and negative. Various electrical phenomena are induced by the behavior and conduct of these electric charges.*2 Electrification: For example, when insulators, substances for which it is difficult for electric charges to move and difficult for the current to flow, are brought into close contact with each other and rubbed together, it may lead to a state in which there are many positive or negative electric charges in one of those insulators. This state in which electric charges have accumulated in this way (the state of carrying electricity) is called electrification.*3 Electric charges move in all instances of discharge including ESD; that is, the current flows. Therefore, it seems that ESD is not a static electricity phenomenon. However, given that ESD is instantaneous and the current is also very small, we will consider ESD to be within the range of static electricity phenomena here.<h3>Static Electricity Trouble 1: Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and ESD Damage</h3>If ESD occurs in ICs and other electronic devices, it may cause electronic equipment to fail or malfunction. When a momentary discharge under a high voltage occurs in an electronic device and causes it to stop functioning, it is called “ESD damage.” This may cause failures and defects not only in the process of manufacturing electronic products but also when they are used by those who purchase them.Moreover, clothing and other similar items are especially susceptible to electrification and ESD from friction. For example, a worker charged with electricity at a manufacturing site may sustain stress such as irritation and pain to his or her skin by touching products. Furthermore, products may become defective due to ESD damage from workers charged with electricity (Photo 1).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NDIwMDU0LXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDEuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 768px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 1: It is necessary to pay attention to ESD damage, which affects the yield rate at manufacturing sites where electronic equipment is handled in particular<h3 id="isPasted">Static Electricity Trouble 2: Adhesion of Dust, Dirt, and Other Foreign Substances due to Electrification</h3>When dust, dirt, metal powder, or other foreign substances in the air and workpieces*4 and products become charged with electricity positively and negatively or negatively and positively, respectively, an attractive force acts between the two as mentioned above. The foreign substance then adheres to the latter.For instance, if a foreign substance adheres to the housing, car body, or other part of metal (conductor) equipment, it may lead to a deterioration in the paint quality. Moreover, products such as resin (insulator) films or sheets and containers may become defective due to foreign substances adhering to them. Products may also become dirty while being stored due to the adhesion of small foreign substances. That may lead to a deterioration in quality and complaints. Furthermore, if the base material gets twisted or if the corners get turned up in the process of manufacturing and processing a thin film product, it may cause a defect during the process of applying the chemicals and liquid materials that form the paint coating and during the winding of the rolls (Photo 2).*4 Workpiece: This is the object to be processed in a manufacturing process. For example, the press material is called the workpiece in a process to press-mold metal housing, whereas the housing itself is called the workpiece in the process to paint that housing.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NDUyNDMzLXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 2: Defective points may also arise in the process of rolling film because of foreign substance adhesion, twisting, folding, and other phenomena due to static electricity.<h3 id="isPasted">Unexpected Utilization of Static Electricity: Research Utilizing Static Electricity During Snowfall to Generate Power</h3>As mentioned earlier, static electricity causes troubles in various industrial products and people’s lives in winter when the air is dry. Besides that, the buildup of snow on solar panels in cold regions significantly reduces the efficiency of solar power generation. That can become a big problem when coupled with an increase in demand for electric power resulting from the use of heating.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NDczNDI0LXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDMuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 3: Snow accumulates on solar panels in cold regions causing a significant reduction in the efficiency of solar power generationIt was believed that static electricity only caused such issues and problems. However, research is also being conducted on energy harvesting*5 using static electricity generated by snowfall.*5 Energy harvesting: This refers to power generation technology that harvests energy from the daily environment (heat, sunlight, artificial lighting, and vibrations arising from human movement or machine operation, etc.) and converts it into electrical energy.For instance, a research team in the U.S. is researching and developing a device that obtains electric power from the static electricity generated by contact or friction with snow. It is known that snow is charged with electricity positively in a certain temperature range. Voltage is generated when snow charged with electricity positively and an object charged with electricity negatively come into close contact or sliding due to touching and friction. Based on this principle, the research team has successfully realized energy harvesting using snow and obtained electric power from this device. It is expected that this device will be used in a wide range of applications because it is thin, light, and has excellent flexibility.Functional outfits designed to protect from the cold have been given as an example of the application of this technology. Power can be generated by attaching the device to the surface of clothing or the soles of shoes. It is then possible to heat your body with a heater or to sense your movements and physical condition in outdoor activities in snowfall such as winter sports. This can be done without using secondary batteries or other parts that have been charged in advance (Photo 4).&nbsp;Moreover, it is thought it will become easier to install and operate meteorological observation equipment in places where it is difficult to supply power by adopting this mechanism that enables sensing by the device itself.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NDk2NDkwLXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDQuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 4: Using a device that generates power when it touches the snow in clothing supplies the electric power necessary for wearable heaters, sensors, and other products (photo for illustration purposes only)Based on such new ideas, research and development on energy harvesting is diversifying and advancing, thereby increasing expectations for a future in which the number of new options to acquire energy will increase.<h2>Essential Both at Manufacturing Sites and in the Design Stage: Measures Against Static Electricity and ESD</h2>In addition to being utilized in energy harvesting and other applications as above, static electricity is being used in printers, copy machines, dust collectors, a variety of manufacturing and processing equipment, and other products. Nevertheless, we can say that there is a stronger impression of static electricity causing troubles such as in terms of ESD damage and foreign substance adhesion as mentioned at the beginning of this article than of it having beneficial uses like this. We have to thoroughly take various measures going forward to avoid such troubles. We introduce here some specific examples of measures against those problems.<h3>Measures against Static Electricity to Prevent Defects in Manufacturing Processes</h3>It is well-known that electrification arising from friction (frictional electrification) due to an object being moved or people moving is the cause of electrified electricity; that is, static electricity. This electrification also frequently occurs in the process of manufacturing products. The use of static eliminators is given as a typical measure against static electricity troubles caused by those. These static eliminators neutralize electrified charges such as by blowing ions with air onto the target object.There are various forms of static eliminators. One is a bar type that neutralizes and eliminates static electricity in workpieces charged with electricity on conveyance lines and other systems. Another is a blower type equipped with a fan that neutralizes the static electricity generated during assembly processes involving manual work and other similar processes. Yet another is the gun type that removes foreign substances adhering to an object due to static electricity by eliminating the static electricity while intensively blowing air on a targeted spot. &nbsp; In addition, wearing a wristband to release static electricity to the ground (GND) to prevent ESD occurring from workers’ hands is a basic measure to prevent defective products due to ESD damage from humans (Photo 5).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NTE2MTU5LXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDUuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 5: ESD damage is prevented by workers wearing wristbands to externally discharge electrified static electricity<h3 id="isPasted">Measures against ESD Are Also Important When using Electronic Equipment: Measures Against Static Electricity with ESD Protection Devices</h3>ESD and other static electricity issues in pieces of electronic equipment can occur not only in the process of manufacturing them but also when they are used by those who purchase them. For example, if ESD occurs in an IC or other electronic device in electronic equipment when operating a switch or at another time, it may lead to it malfunctioning or failing due to ESD damage. Therefore, measures against static electricity and measures against ESD are required in the design stage. &nbsp; ESD is especially liable to occur at points that are operated by people by hand in electronic equipment when it is being used. Those points include various external interfaces in which buttons, USBs, and other plugs are inserted into and removed from connectors. In other words, the risk of electronic equipment failing or malfunctioning increases when ESD occurs because a high voltage is momentarily applied to an IC while it is being operated (Fig. 1). Accordingly, it is no exaggeration to say that the points that require measures against ESD in electronic equipment are those that the user touches or approaches.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NTM3NTU1LWZpZzAwMV9lbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 1: Without measures against ESD, the ESD generated due to static electricity reaches the IC directly and causes damage to itIt is necessary to release electrified charges to the ground (GND) to prevent the ESD issues which occur in this way. A device that achieves this is called an “ESD protection device.” We can say that this is a device essential for the stable operation of electronic equipment by preventing sudden failures and other troubles.<h2>TVS Diode ESD Protection Device and Its Functions</h2>TVS diodes are one of the leading ESD protection devices used in electronic equipment. Fig. 2 shows an example of a TVS diode being connected and its functions.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NTU0MzM4LWZpZzAwMl9lbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 2: Example of the installation in parallel of a TVS diode between an external interface (I/O) and ICIn Fig. 2, the TVS diode is installed between the signal line connecting the external interface (I/O) and the IC and the ground (GND). The TVS diode switch is set to OFF during this normal operation. This isolates the signal line from the GND.On the other hand, when the I/O is charged with electricity for some reason and there is a high voltage between the I/O and GND, ESD is liable to occur. If ESD is generated and intrudes here, the TVS diode will turn ON. The ESD will then flow to the GND via the TVS diode from the signal line.The TVS diode protects the IC from the ESD by functioning like that.Information equipment in recent years in particular has become smaller. At the same time, for instance, power supply input/output functions (USB Power Delivery (USB PD)) that support higher voltages and larger currents compatible with the USB4 high-speed data transmission I/O have started to spread. As a result, it is possible to say that measures against ESD in information equipment have become even more important (Photo 6).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk4MDc2NTczMjgzLXN0YXRpYy1lbGVjdHJpY2l0eV9pbWcwMDYuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo 6: Measures against ESD and surge are becoming more important with the spread of interfaces that combine data transmission and power supply input/outputMurata Manufacturing provides a range of various products including small TVS diodes as ESD protection devices that respond to needs such as for downsizing of electronic equipment and higher density device mounting. You can view details on TVS diodes from the link below.<hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1698135799874-1698135799874.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don't hesitate to reach out. There's an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">GET IN TOUCH</a>

Static electricity is a source of trouble in winter when the air is dry in some countries and regions. Static electricity refers to electricity that is literally static; that is, it is electricity whereby the electric charges do not move and the state of electrification is maintained.

Static Electricity Troubles, Measures Against ESD and Unexpected Ways of Utilizing Static Electricity: Power Generation Utilizing Static Electricity

In this episode, we delve into the exciting world of energy modeling and its critical role in shaping a decarbonized future

Podcast: Decarbonizing with Energy Modeling

As solar power becomes increasingly popular, it&rsquo;s essential to be aware of the potential defects that can occur in solar panels. While most panels are built to last decades, a few things can go wrong.Solar panels are essential to the renewable energy equation, but they&rsquo;re not perfect. Defects can occur in manufacturing, leading to visual defects, electrical problems, and decreased performance.<h2>Visual defects</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993848437-visual-defects.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Visual defects are usually the result of physical damage to the solar panel. This can include cracked glass, chipped edges, and scratches. These defects can reduce the amount of light the solar panel can capture, which will, in turn, reduce the amount of power it can generate.Microcracks occur during solar cell manufacturing and module assembling. Preventing cracks is easy when you pick up panels yourself from a warehouse, vertically stacked or wrapped in blankets or foam. Some PV modules are more susceptible to cracking than others. The least crack-prone option would be a monocrystalline module with half-cut solar cells and the maximum number of busbars.<h2>Non-visible defects<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993861519-ir-camera-solar-panel.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h2>Some non-visible or not easily detectable defects are caused by dirt or dust on the surface of the solar panel. These defects can cause the solar panel to absorb more heat than it is designed to or reduce its power output.Also, inadequate spacing between the cells, ineffective light trapping by the cell material, low doping of the cell material, and poor electrical contact between the cell and the metal electrodes can cause such defects.<h2>Electrical defects<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993882021-voltage-drop.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h2>Electrical defects are usually caused by improper installation or wiring. These defects can cause the solar panel to generate less power than it is rated for or to generate power intermittently.Manufacturing defects usually cause maximum power point defects. These defects can cause the solar panel to generate less power than it is rated for at its maximum power point.Open Circuit Defect: This type of defect results in an open circuit in the solar panel, which prevents current from flowing through the panel. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.Short Circuit Defect: This defect results in a short circuit in the solar panel, which allows current to bypass the panel and flow directly to the ground. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.Reverse Bias Defect: This defect results in a voltage difference between the front and back of the solar panel, inhibiting current from flowing through the panel. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.<h2>Conclusion</h2>If you have a solar panel with any of these defects, it is essential to have it repaired or replaced as soon as possible. These defects can cause your solar panel to generate less power than it is capable of, which can increase your electric bill.These problems can be caused by several factors, including manufacturing defects, damage during shipping or installation, or environmental factors such as bird droppings or hail storms. While most solar panels are built to withstand these kinds of problems, it&rsquo;s always a good idea to be aware of the potential for defects so that you can be sure to get the most out of your solar panel investment.

As solar power becomes increasingly popular, it’s essential to be aware of the potential defects that can occur in solar panels. While most panels are built to last decades, a few things can go wrong.

How to Detect Solar Panel Defects - Intro

In this episode, we explore a novel renewable energy solution that blends sustainability with aesthetic design—a creative ivy-shaped solar panel system integrated into the façade of the High-Tech Campus Eindhoven.

Podcast: Sexy & Sustainable: Meet The Solar Ivy

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations for the realization of a sustainable society include multiple goals related to environmental conservation.Since the start of the industrial revolution in the latter half of the 18th century, humankind has harvested the materials of the natural world on a massive scale, processed them into industrial products, and consumed them in large quantities. Subsequently, a large volume of waste products was also produced due to such production and consumption. As a result, things that do not belong were dispersed in places in nature where they should not be, which is causing the environment to be destroyed. In fact, desertification due to the logging of tropical rainforests, the destruction of marine ecosystems due to microplastics*1, as well as space junk which impedes future space development, and various other effects are becoming apparent.*1 Microplastics are plastics that are broken down to a size that is invisible to the naked eye during the process in which discarded plastic products flow into the ocean. They continue to drift in the ocean for a long time and destroy the marine ecosystem when marine organisms take the microplastics into their bodies, and there are also concerns that they may pose a risk to the health of people who eat such marine organisms.When it comes to conservation of the global environment, people are apt to focus on the decarbonization of energy. However, such destruction of the natural environment also requires immediate measures similar to decarbonization. Moreover, the movement to utilize the latest technologies to attempt to resolve environment-related issues has become increasingly active. Here, we select non-decarbonization initiatives from within the &ldquo;cleantech&rdquo; technology development movement aimed at environmental conservation to focus on and describe the measures that utilize ICT (information and communications technology) in particular.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEyOTk4NjA2LXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Cleantech is a cluster of multidisciplinary technologies</h2>&ldquo;Cleantech&rdquo; is a neologism that combines the idea of restoring the natural environment to a &ldquo;clean&rdquo; state and &ldquo;technology.&rdquo; Cleantech&rsquo;s aims and the scientific and technological knowledge that are applied are extremely diverse.For example, in the case of alternative plastics, the development of materials to replace substances, which may have a negative impact on the environment if they are simply discarded, into naturally degrading substances is one cleantech initiative. Accordingly, knowledge of fields such as chemistry and materials engineering is required. Moreover, there is also a method that involves reliably separating waste that contains hazardous substances, detoxifying it, and returning it to nature. In order to put that method into practice, you need sensing technologies that sort out hazardous substances, chemistry to detoxify the substances, as well as ICT to reliably and smoothly advance the process of collecting, separating, and detoxifying the waste.Until now, we have gathered the products that are useful for daily life and social activities from the natural world, processed them into industrial products, and skillfully used them. However, by-products during processing and waste as well as products that have served their purpose after use were discarded through methods such as &ldquo;burning,&rdquo; &ldquo;burying,&rdquo; and &ldquo;discharging.&rdquo; That is because it is much more difficult to competently discard something than it is to make it and because people incorrectly believe that &ldquo;if they only throw away a little bit of trash, nature will not be destroyed.&rdquo; However, while humanity has looked away, nature was in fact certainly being destroyed.<h2>The &ldquo;bird&rsquo;s eye,&rdquo; &ldquo;insect&rsquo;s eye,&rdquo; and &ldquo;fish&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that are essential to cleantech</h2>In order to take effective environmental conservation measures, we need to accurately assess the impact on the natural world of the processes of production, consumption and use, and disposal. There are reasons to utilize ICT here.Generally, as perspectives to keep in mind when visualizing and optimizing information, there is the &ldquo;bird&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that looks at the entire picture, the &ldquo;insect&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that pays close attention to the details, and the &ldquo;fish&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that grasps the change and flow of time and state. Within environmental measures as well, information processing from a multifaceted perspective using these three types of eyes is essential. That is because there is a need to take an extensive view of society as a whole, know the status of the enormous number of items used in the world, and track their origin and movements.For example, in order to respond to waste plastic-related issues, let us say that one company changed its plastic containers to paper containers. At first glance, it may appear to be the appropriate measure, but if paper is used as the material for new containers, the destruction of forests will advance. This cannot be said to be a proper environmental measure. Each company must take a bird&rsquo;s-eye view of the supply chain for their own products and implement environmental measures. Measures from a multifaceted view cannot be accomplished with only the limited senses and cognitive abilities of humans. For that very reason, there is a need to utilize ICT with its enormous computing power.<h2>Recycling society that minimizes the final discarding of items</h2>The products obtained from nature and the industrial products that are made by processing them are essential for living an affluent lifestyle. However, in order to make affluence into something sustainable, we need to decrease the self-centered discarding of items and wasteful consumption.As a form of the ideal social system for environmental conservation, governments around the world are now aiming to realize the &ldquo;recycling society.&rdquo; The recycling society refers to a society that efficiently uses limited resources to circulate them through recycling, etc. while minimizing the items that are permanently discarded without waste in the future while continuing to effectively use resources. It is believed that the recycling society will become a radical measure with respect to both the issues of environmental measures and the depletion of natural resources. In Japan, the &ldquo;Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society&rdquo; was officially announced in 2000, and efforts are underway to define, etc. the obligations, etc. of the nation, local public bodies, and business operators.The recycling society concept promotes the 3Rs consisting of &ldquo;reduce&rdquo; to curtail the occurrence of waste, &ldquo;reuse&rdquo; to reuse resources, and &ldquo;recycle&rdquo; to recycle by adding processing (Figure 1). The EU has already adopted a law that prohibits the distribution of single-use plastics by 2021, and other specific measures are being implemented such as increasing the collection rate of plastic bottles to 90% by 2029. Moreover, there are now also companies that utilize big data and AI to analyze past market demand trends and increase forecasting accuracy to prevent the excessive procurement of raw materials and waste loss due to the production of products and reduce resource consumption.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMDE5MjIzLXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTJlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 1 Flow of goods in a recycling society<h2 id="isPasted">Sharing information about items handled through arterial and venous physical distribution</h2>Moreover, there is also a movement to make it mandatory for companies to perform an environmental impact assessment through the entire product and service life cycle (flow from the extraction of resources to raw material production, product production, distribution, and consumption to disposal and recycling), which is called the &ldquo;Life Cycle Assessment&rdquo; (LCA). In order to implement environmental measures according to the LCA, the impact on the environment must be minimized from various perspectives such as the destruction of the ozone layer, acidification, land/sea/river/atmospheric pollution, toxicity to humans, and the impact on the ecosystem, etc. The evaluation method is standardized as the &ldquo;ISO 14040&rdquo; and &ldquo;ISO 14044&rdquo; international standards for environmental management through the ISO (the International Organization for Standardization).In addition, initiatives are also underway to create a &ldquo;venous physical distribution&rdquo; mechanism that collects and sorts marketed products and waste products in a flow that runs in the opposite direction of the typical supply chain to smoothly facilitate reuse and recycling. To effectively and efficiently carry out venous physical distribution, nothing will be more important than accurately assessing the origin and condition of products that appeared and were used in the market, sharing that information in society, and promoting the appropriate 3Rs (Figure 2). Therefore, the traceability to track and visualize the production, distribution, and usage processes of individual products will become important.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMDQzMTA3LXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTNlbi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 2 Sharing information about handled items between typical distribution (arterial physical distribution) and venous physical distributionTo ensure traceability, the utilization of technologies such as barcodes and QR codes, RFID to wirelessly write product and distribution information into semiconductor chips attached to products, as well as IoT (Internet of Things), which will connect individual products to the Internet in the future, etc., are essential. In addition, attempts are already underway to utilize the newest forms of ICT such as the blockchain*2 to track the process as a discarded product is recycled into a new product through the supply chain and the collaborative operations of companies.*2 Blockchain is a technology that encrypts digital information that records the transaction details and process and ensures information reliability by having it supplied by many people on the Internet. In addition to being used as a technology for ensuring the value of encrypted assets, it is also applied to automated transactions using machines.Environmental issues are social issues that are difficult to get a real sense of in daily life, but we are in a critical situation where a bright future cannot be pictured without initiatives aimed at conservation. It can be said that our bright future depends on the evolution and utilization of cleantech.<hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMjEwNTMxLTE2OTMyMTMyMTA1MzEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">GET IN TOUCH</a>

Electronic Technology Supporting the Evolution of “Next Tech”

"Cleantech" to Make the Earth a Planet That Everyone Can Be Proud Of

Energy harvesting for IoT provides a sustainable power solution, enabling self-sufficient devices that extract energy from their surrounding environment, enhancing longevity and reducing maintenance requirements

Energy harvesting

Profiles