UCF secures $7.5 million research grant to improve hybrid PV solar cells

October 30, 2009--The University of Central Florida (UCF; Orlando, FL) was awarded a $7.5 million research grant to study ways to make hybrid photovoltaic (PV) solar cells more efficient in capturing and converting solar energy into electricity and less costly to manufacture. The grant, from New York-based Prime Source Initiative, will be awarded in $1.5 million allotments per year for five years.

The research will be led by Winston Schoenfeld, a professor in CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics at UCF. He will work on methods to increase the efficiency between the organic material that harvests the sun's energy and the inorganic semiconductor nanostructures within a hybrid PV solar cell.

Hybrid solar cells use an inorganic semiconductor (such as silicon) to increase electric output. But how to efficiently and economically integrate the organic and the inorganic components of the hybrid solar cell is a challenge and hasn't been widely studied (see also "Improving organic photovoltaics' stability and lifetime is goal of IMEC-Cytec collaboration").

Schoenfeld will develop the inorganic, nanostructured semiconductor backbone of the solar cell. The project's co-researcher, Andre Gesquiere, a professor in UCF's Nanotechnology Science Center and the Chemistry Department, will lead the organic, polymer research components of the project. The research will seek to answer questions such as how close together and how long the nanostructures should be made within the solar cell. Researchers also will attempt to increase the absorption capability of the organic material so that more of the solar spectrum can be harvested.

Prime Source Initiative is based in New York with a real estate affiliation in Florida. Established in 1974, the supply chain company has expanded into humanitarian efforts to include this first-of-its kind research grant to fund PV research in hopes of creating more energy efficient communities.

For the full story, go to http://news.ucf.edu.

--Posted by Gail Overton, [email protected]; www.laserfocusworld.com.