Scientists believe that new a platinum based thin-film dye that concentrates sunlight may be able to make solar power competitive alongside fossil fuels.

Standard photovoltaic concentrators increase output from solar power cells by focussing the light on large mirrors, but this can be both expensive and time-consuming.

But using luminescent solar concentrators, which contain dye molecules with solar cells, could solve the problems.

Light is absorbed then trapped, allowing solar power cells to collect it.

Scientists using two thin films, one containing platinum, have now achieved higher gains, Science Magazine reports.

The layer of Pt(TPBP) (platinumtetraphenyltetrabenzoporphyrin) combined with the layer of DCJTB allow efficiencies of 4.1 per cent and 5.9 per cent respectively, according to research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

Using both the materials could yield 6.8 per cent efficiency while concentrators coupled with additional solar cells may increase efficiency even further.

The concentrators would also be cheap to make and may not affect the price of solar panel technology.



Source:

Thin-film dyes boost solar cells, 12/07/08
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/34992

High-Efficiency Organic Solar Concentrators for Photovoltaics, 11/07/08
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/321/5886/226