Solar energy
The Earth receives over 10,000 times more solar energy than we actually need. Although the price of solar energy today is at a competitive level with grey energy, solar panels are expensive to buy, lower-priced panels are less efficient and today’s electricity grids and legislation still need to be optimised.
Solar energy at TU Delft
TU Delft aims to bring the cost of solar energy down dramatically. The focus is on PV solar energy: improving the efficiency of solar cells by developing new materials and systems for them. Researchers are also designing cheaper production methods for solar panels and focusing their attention on required change in the electricity market. In the TU Delft solar lab, real solar cells are manufactured and tested.
Materials for solar cells
Cheap thin-film silicon solar cells with high efficiency
- Research to the increase of efficiency by using light management, nanotechnology, nanoparticles
- Department Photovoltaic Materials and Devices, faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
TU Delft animatie rendement goedkope zonnecellen
Black silicon
- Research into super-absorbent silicon that does not reflect any light particles.
- Research section Photovoltaic Materials and Devices, faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
Solar energy systems
Power-generating windows
- Research into luminescent solar concentrators
- Section of Radiation Detection and Medical Imaging, faculty of Applied Sciences
Energy efficient design of consumer products
- Research into energy efficient design of products and systems, including integrating solar panels
