Solar panels are significant in the clean energy revolution, yet, they have one major downfall; their productivity falls on a cloudy day. With this in mind Carvey Ehren Maigue, an electrical engineering student, has created a new material from food waste that has the ability to transform ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun into electrical energy. The technology could soon be turning the windows and walls of buildings into a rich new source of electricity.
The news panels will harvest the unseen ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. UV rays make it through even dense cloud coverage and Maigue is not letting any of this UV go to waste. The freshly developed concept is called AuREUS (which stands for Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration). It involves a combination of organic luminescent particles from vegetable and fruit waste that absorb UV light and convert it to visible light, and a solar film that then converts that visible light into DC electricity. The regulating circuits then will process the voltage output to allow battery charging, storage, or direct utilization of electricity.
Solar panels are significant in the clean energy revolution, yet, they have one major downfall; their productivity falls on a cloudy day. With this in mind Carvey Ehren Maigue, an electrical engineering student, has created a new material from food waste that has the ability to transform ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun into electrical energy. The technology could soon be turning the windows and walls of buildings into a rich new source of electricity.
The news panels will harvest the unseen ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. UV rays make it through even dense cloud coverage and Maigue is not letting any of this UV go to waste. The freshly developed concept is called AuREUS (which stands for Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration). It involves a combination of organic luminescent particles from vegetable and fruit waste that absorb UV light and convert it to visible light, and a solar film that then converts that visible light into DC electricity. The regulating circuits then will process the voltage output to allow battery charging, storage, or direct utilization of electricity.
The efforts were recognized and awarded with The James Dyson Sustainability Award, which also includes a $35,000 prize that will allow Maigue to further develop his idea. He envisions the colorful solar panels being used on large buildings’ windows and walls, turning them into endless energy sources.
Evolution of Idea
2017: Conventional PV cells lack the capability to capture high-energy UV light hence journey for creating better materials with such capability has been started.
2018: Quantum dot technology has been researched but proved to be costly.
– Luckily, in a dark pub inspiration was drawn from glowing neon plates when exposed to blacklight.
2019: Academic thesis and several prototypes testing the feasible of concept
2020: 9 crops out 78 have high potential to be used as key particles
Additional research will be done on extracting needed luminescent particles to allow 100% (from the current 80%) sourcing of dyes from fruits and vegetables instead of chemical ones. Instead of using chemical particles, luminescent particles are extracted by sourcing dyes from fruits and vegetables, bringing sustainability to a full circle, Said Maigue.
