With its increasingly popular adoption on both a residential and commercial scale, the solar power industry has already changed the face of renewable energy. 

At the same time, solar continues to necessitate further research and innovation in order to engineer an affordable, sustainable future.

Tech Xplore shared one such development, which was described as a "remarkable breakthrough" relating to photovoltaic panels.

Lead halide perovskite solar cells have emerged as an "outstanding" material for power conversion, researchers explained, but they also present a number of issues. 

Namely, "challenges such as poor long-term stability, phase degradation under light, heat, and moisture, and the toxicity of lead (Pb) remain significant obstacles to commercial scalability and environmental safety."

To improve these outcomes, a research team at the Autonomous University of Querétaro, Mexico, experimented with a similar type of perovskite known as chalcogenide perovskites. 

This material offers a number of benefits that make it an "excellent candidate" for use in solar engineering.

To test it, a theoretical study was conducted simulating 1,627 device configurations assigned to different settings. By deploying various techniques, from spectroscopy to energy band alignments, the team was able to deliver a thorough comparative analysis across the two materials. 

The resulting study, published in the journal Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, found that these chalcogenide perovskites can generate "significant performance gains" compared to the lead-based cells. 

"The results indicate a promising path toward efficient, stable, and lead-free solar cells," researchers enthused. "As the world moves toward cleaner energy solutions, innovations like this have the potential to reshape the future of photovoltaics."

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Continued innovation will be a boon for all solar users, whether they draw power from rooftop solar panels or remote community solar arrays. 

Considering that switching to solar can already reduce a home's electricity bills to near zero, finding ways to make solar safer and more efficient will mean the opportunity for massive savings and a reduction in planet-heating pollution.

For anyone looking to learn more about solar options and prices in their own area, the free tools at EnergySage — including quotes, information on incentives, and state-by-state cost breakdowns — are an excellent place to begin.

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