• Energy Research
• 2014 close

To allow large scale implementation of photovoltaics at multi-terawatt level for a low carbon emission future, technologies are required which are high in efficiency, cheap to produce, use abundant and benign materials. This project is devoted to developing such thin film solar cells by low-cost methods, which are scalable to mass production.

To develop pigeon deterrent equipment to prevent pigeons from nesting under solar panels. The efficiency of solar panels can be lowered by pigeon droppings and also it causes a problem in terms of cleaning. Sometimes scaffold is required to be erected to clean the panels which can prove to be expensive.This is an on-going problem in the solar industry and it could have great potential for both the UK and Export markets as many countries now have solar panels on their roof tops.

Thermoelectric materials offer an opportunity for economic recovery of the waste heat from exhaust gases to reduce operational costs and greenhouse emissions. Success of this program will facilitate the development of thermoelectric materials with high energy conversion efficiency for viable applications.

Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd were the £100K winners in the energy section of the Competition for Disruptive Solutions’ at the Technology Strategy Board’s Innovate10 event. The Company successfully and efficiently completed its awarded project (No. 130404, TP 4127-37152) and now seeks further funding to support and exploit the pre-commercial development of this low cost and aesthetically attractive photovoltaic (PV) solar energy technology, with Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) as the initial focus. The product envisaged is solar power glazing: standard building glazing containing transparent PV modules with the appearance of tinted glass. This project will deliver product prototype Glass PV modules and the associated pilot processing capability, ready for manufacturing scale-up and early release trials with strategic partners in the construction value chain. The modules produced will use patent-protected solid-state dye sensitised solar cells (ssDSC), a novel transparent PV technology. The nano-engineered PV modules will combine large area deposition and patterning methods with standard glass manufacturing, to produce colourtinted glazing capable of stable and efficient solar powered electricity generation. The modules developed in the project will be available to architects in a broad palette of aesthetically pleasing colours and transparency options. In further contrast to competing PV technologies, the use of low cost production methods and abundant materials enables low electricity production costs and low environmental impact. No other company is currently marketing solid state DSC products and the applicant’s IP portfolio offers strong commercial advantage over emerging developments, and offers an opportunity to establish a globally dominant market position. The wider goal of the applicants is to deliver a generic manufacturing process for their PV technology platform, in preparation for further market opportunities involving glass and alternate substrates, such as steel.