Follow @UoMpodcast for service updates and information.
Shining a Spotlight on Solar PV Podcast Author: Dave Espley Added on Wed Jun 05 14:24:00 BST 2019 Duration: 0:30:07 A team of scientists at The University of Manchester has solved a key flaw in solar panels after 40 years of research around the world. Solar panels are among the most available system of generating energy through renewable sources due to their relative cost and consumer availability. However, the majority of solar cells only achieve 20% efficiency – for every kW of equivalent sunlight, about 200W of electrical power can be generated. Now an international team of researchers have resolved a key fundamental issue of material defect which limits and degrades solar cell efficiency. The problem has been known about and studied for over 40 years, with over 270 research papers attributed to the issue with no solution. The new research shows the first observation of a previously unknown material defect which limits silicon solar cell efficiency. Vicky Taylor-Plane interviews Tony Peaker, Matthew Halsall and Iain Crowe in this podcast to find out more. • Research paper: Identification of the mechanism responsible for the boron oxygen light induced degradation in silicon photovoltaic cells by Michelle Vaqueiro-Contreras, Vladimir P. Markevich, José Coutinho, Paulo Santos, Iain F. Crowe, Matthew P. Halsall, Ian Hawkins, Stanislau B. Lastovskii, Leonid I. Murin, Anthony R. Peaker, published in the Journal of Applied Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.5091759  

Remove Video

Use this form to remove a podcast immediately






Remove Video





Subtitle request


Subtitle quality is dependant on a number of factors therefore accuracy cannot be guaranteed. For more information see mypodcasts.manchester.ac.uk/subtitles

Usernames are recorded for service monitoring purposes.





Subtitle request


The subtitle request has been submitted.

Please allow up to 24 hours for the subtitles to be published. For more information see mypodcasts.manchester.ac.uk/subtitles



Subtitle request


Subtitles are already available for this video.

To request new subtitles, contact podcasting@manchester.ac.uk



Follow @UoMpodcast for service updates and information.