Oxford PV Takes a Quantum Leap at Solar Power Technology

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A UK-based firm has got it to lead commercially produced solar panels ahead of competitors dedicated to solar power technology advancement.

The summer of 2021 seems exciting for British houses as a UK firm is ready to launch breakthrough solar power technology. The technology will use crystal discovered 200 years ago to harness solar energy.

Based in Oxford, the solar power technology firm hopes to start manufacturing the solar panels by the end of 2020 and ready them for the first market launch in early 2021.

The company, Oxford PV, is excited to be leading this next-generation perovskite solar panel manufacturing that’ll generate three-times more electricity than traditional silicon-based solar panels.

Today, the climate crisis is a significant concern. Researchers around the world are talking about using clean energy. In this regard, this solar technology solution by Oxford PV comes as a tour-de-force helping humanity offset their guilt.

Clean energy is costly; sustainability is a concern. So, to make it affordable, Oxford PV has ideated the strategy to coat traditional solar power cells with perovskite and increase power generation. In general, a silicon solar cell converts up to 22% of the solar energy into electricity. But according to successful research conducted in June 2018, Oxford PV’s perovskite-on-silicon solar cell converts a record 27.3% electric power.

Oxford PV seems to have focused on the look and feel of these proposed solar panels. Instead of a blue tint, the perovskite-coated solar panels will appear black and camouflage in better with rooftop slates of British houses.

The chief technology officer at Oxford PV, Dr. Chris Case, says that perovskite is “a true change” in solar technology that remained the same since its development in the 1950s. Dr. Case further adds that “Silicon has reached its culmination of capability.” With a room for plenty of improvements to optimize production opportunities, the industry so far was generations afar from realizing the ubiquity of perovskite on traditional solar panels.

First discovered in the Ural mountains in 1839, the crystal mineral was a prime hangout for scientists worldwide trying to figure out how it could help generate more renewable electricity at a lower cost.

From a business point of view, in 2010, Oxford PV won a government-fund of £100,000. Later, the firm attracted equity investment from Norway’s oil giant Equinor, Legal & General Capital, and Goldwind, a Chinese renewables giant. Now, being the first of the tribe to develop these perovskite coated solar panel technology and make them commercially available, the company will have a significant advantage over rivals.

At the moment, many companies are working on perovskite for various technological usage, including space exploration. But according to Oxford PV, their work in the area of commercial solar panel innovation will stick through the future the way silicon and perovskite are going to jam electric supply.


 

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  • As the Founding Editor of StartuptoEnterprise.com, Linda is interested in emerging tech startups operating in the intersection of innovation, profitability, and social impact. Her primary focus is Europe & China followed by the US & India.

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