Diffused Light-Harvesting via Multiple Semitransparent CdTe Solar Cells for Continuous Energy Production

This research reveals the potential for continuous electricity generation by harnessing diffused LED light within buildings, particularly in modern cities with a high density of high-rises where lights are on at night and often wasted. This promotes the development of energy-neutral infrastructures, suggesting a promising pathway for sustainable indoor energy solutions and leveraging advanced PV technology to achieve higher efficiency and reliability. This study highlights the innovative application of semitransparent CdTe photovoltaic (PV) cells in harvesting diffused LED light to generate electricity. The research focuses on the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of these cells, which are found to be comparable to those achieved under natural sunlight. Remarkably, the highest PCE for CdTe PV cells with an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 40% surpasses that under natural sunlight, even at a significantly lower light power density 30 mW/cm^2. Experimental results underscore the importance of spectral response, particularly near the bandgap energy of CdTe (1.5 eV), for optimizing PCE. LEDs with wavelengths in the near-infrared range, close to the CdTe bandgap, are identified as optimal for energy conversion. A novel aspect of this research is the use of multi-panel configurations to enhance light harvesting efficiency. By stacking semitransparent CdTe panels, we observe a substantial increase in energy output. In an ascending order configuration of AVT, the multi-panel system achieves an impressive PCE of 17.7%, representing a 93.6% increase compared to a single panel. Furthermore, a descending order configuration yields a total PCE increase of 251.8%, demonstrating the significant advantages of multi-layer stacking. This research reveals the potential for continuous electricity generation by harnessing diffused LED light within buildings, thus promoting the development of energy-neutral infrastructures. The findings suggest a promising pathway for sustainable indoor energy solutions, leveraging advanced PV technology to achieve higher efficiency and reliability.