What is Dye Solar Cell (DSC)
DSC technology can best be described as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ using an electrolyte, a layer of titania (a pigment used in white paint) and ruthenium dye sandwiched between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent.
Light striking the dye excites electrons which are absorbed by the titania to become electric current. When the dye absorbs a photon, the resultant excitation injects electrons into the titanium oxide, which transports them to the negative electrode.
DSC technology was invented in 1988 by Professor Michael Graetzel of Switzerland, but has not yet emerged from the laboratory for commercial use.
The promise of DSC to create low cost solar power requiring limited capital and technological expertise for manufacturing has long made DSC the subject of intense academic interest.
More than 50 university research teams around the world are working to perfect DSC technology, which is now emerging as a competitive commercial product.
DSC vs. Silicon/Thin Film
First generation solar technology utilizes silicon. Silicon is a naturally occurring element that is utilized by numerous industries including semiconductors and computer chips. With the new demand from solar panel manufacturers, demand for silicon far exceeds supply, driving prices of this critical raw material – and the price of silicon driven solar energy – well beyond a commercially viable price point in a non-subsidized environment.
Second generation solar technology generally eliminates silicon, or utilizes amorphous silicon, and leverages “thin films” as the surface area for energy capture. The elimination of silicon as an expensive raw material provides thin film technologies with a low cost advantage over first generation technologies on a per unit basis, albeit with lower efficiencies. Thin film solar technologies, however, require extremely sophisticated and expensive production lines, creating an extremely high barrier to entry and limiting supply of thin film panels.
With efficiencies similar to thin film technologies and low price per watt, DSC and 3GSolar represent a dramatic advancement in solar energy development, and offer the opportunity to bring reasonably priced, easily manufactured solar power to world markets.