A new generation of solar cells

How can the increasing demand for energy be met in the future? The re search group Photo Physics & Optoelectronics, led by Maria Loi (Professor, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials) is working on this issue. This research group aims to lay the foundation for a whole new generation of solar cells.

Loi's dream

The research of Maria Loi focuses on the interaction between light and substance and its use for power generation. The main focus in this fundamental research is to study the properties of new types of semiconductors and how these materials can be applied to generate energy, directly under the form of electricity but also under the form of chemical energy (water splitting).

It is Loi's dream to develop solar cells in the form of a spreadable ink or paint. She develops solar cells in the form of a spreadable ink so that we will soon spread our solar cells everywhere, like peanut butter on a sandwich. No bulky black panels on our roofs, but thinner and possibly flexible solar cells.

Groningen is the place for such research. The Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, where the research group is part of, is one of the top five in the world of institutions in the field of materials research. Here happens a lot of high-quality research that meets often directly together and continue helping each other, a very inspiring environment.

Donors

The Alumni Chapter in The Hague and Rotterdam contributes to the research of Maria Loi. Thanks to this support she and her team can work on improving the solar cells. The challenge is to greatly increase the efficiency of the solar cells to convert solar rays into energy and that in a competitive way. In other words, to achieve a higher conversion of solar energy at a lower cost than today.

• Alumni Chapter in The Hague and Rotterdam

More information

• Video Maria Loi's research