image: The optical fiber-solar cell hybrid system (left) and the testing of the fiber-optic solar cell (right) view more
Credit: Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS)
□ A research team led by Dr. Dong Chan Lim (with co-PIs: Dr. Soyeon Kim, Dr. Jahandar) and a Korean optics application material research company, Solar Optics, succeeded in developing a new type of solar PV power generation technology: a generation system converging an advanced optical material using optical fibers and organic solar cells. The technology, which significantly improved the efficiency of existing solar power generation facilities, is expected to be a dramatic turning point in the market. The research team is in the Department of Energy and Electric Materials of the Nano Surface Materials Division at The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT.
□ Existing solar power generation facilities are installed horizontally to absorb sunlight on flat panels, which has always brought up controversy in terms of energy output in a given surface area. Due to the problem of light acceptability and optimum angle, the flat structure of the current solar panel has an efficiency limit of about 24% compared to the area and its highest efficiency was a maximum of 3 hours and 30 minutes per day on average.
□ The joint research team redesigned the structure of the organic solar cell to maximize light scattering and absorption by piercing nano-sized holes on the surface of the optical fiber, which is called OSL(Optical Side Lighting). This enabled to install the optical fiber and the solar panel in a vertical three-dimensional structure and maintain the generation efficiency for a long time regardless of the angle of the panel. The power generation efficiency is greatly improved and the maximum efficiency time of the solar panel is also increased to an average of 6 hours or more per day.
□ The outcome of the research is that the solar power generation system (OSL solar cell hybrid system) is transferred indoors by applying side-emitting optical fibers, which makes it possible to safely maintain and manage the panel in an unstable outdoor environment and to improve the stability of the system. It is also possible to adopt high-efficiency panels that have not been used in the past because they are sensitive to external environments such as heat, dust, and humidity. The technology is expected to help develop a variety of high-efficiency products and mass production.
□ Dr. Dong Chan Lim, who led the joint research, said, “Recently, materials for organic solar cells with 20% or more power generation efficiency are continuously being developed, but there is a concern due to the nature of organic material which would be vulnerable to heat or humidity. This technology can significantly reduce the area for solar power generation by about a fifth or more, and be used for portable solar generators, electric vehicles, and distributed power generation systems.”
□ The research was funded by the “National Core Material Research Center (Platform Type)/High Sensitivity Rollable Electrode Material for Optoelectronic Device and Convergence Technology Development Project” of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
□ KIMS has various types of organic material-based solar cell technology which include flexible, lightweight, colored, and transparent solar cells. Recently, they are developing solar cells that generate power using not only natural sunlight but also indoor lightings such as fluorescent lamps and LEDs. The Solar Optics, which developed the OSL, is developing charge/discharge battery modules for the OSL fiber-optic solar cells. The two parties are working hard to commercialize the world’s first high-efficiency solar power facilities. This will be successful win-win cooperation for carbon neutrality promoted by a government-funded research institute and an SME.
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About Korea Institute of Materials Science(KIMS)
KIMS is a non-profit government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea. As the only institute specializing in comprehensive materials technologies in Korea, KIMS has contributed to Korean industry by carrying out a wide range of activities related to materials science including R&D, inspection, testing&evaluation, and technology support.