Researchers from MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology the University of Twente's have improved solar fuel technology by developing the most efficient method to date for splitting water into hydrogen and CO2 using sunlight. The researchers accomplished a maximum efficiency of 15% by decoupling the site where the photons are collected from the site where the conversion takes place. This involves the direct conversion of energy from sunlight into a usable fuel (in this case, hydrogen). Professor Jurriaan Huskens said the figure was the highest-ever efficiency for a silicon-based design, but that 10.8% efficiency is needed for the technology to become economically viable.
Researchers from MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology the University of Twente's have improved solar fuel technology by developing the most efficient method to date for splitting water into hydrogen and CO2 using sunlight. The researchers accomplished a maximum efficiency of 15% by decoupling the site where the photons are collected from the site where the conversion takes place. Professor Jurriaan Huskens said the figure was the highest-ever efficiency for a silicon-based design, but that 10.8% efficiency is needed for the technology to become economically viable.