Scientists make game-changing breakthrough that could help households slash their electric bills — here's what's happening

Researchers have developed a new kind of solar cell that functions both effectively and sustainably.

Solar panels reduce your home's reliance on fuel-burning for electricity, utilizing renewable energy from sunlight instead and cutting down on your carbon emissions. But while installing panels is in itself a huge eco-conscious step, not all solar cells are created equal.

A team of scientists based in South Korea tackled the potential of silver bismuth sulfide in panels. These non-toxic nanocrystals don't contain the heavy metal pollutants of conventional high-efficiency solar cells, per a summary published by Tech Xplore. 

Although solar engineers have considered using these nanocrystals in the past, silver bismuth sulfide typically poses significant limitations in its energy efficiency. Since then, researchers over the past decade have been trying to maximize the potential of silver bismuth sulfide, including one team from Spain's Institute of Photonic Scientists in 2024.

This latest investigation has found a way to increase the solar efficiency of silver bismuth sulfide cells by 8.26% — yielding enough power to charge your smartphone four extra times, according to the Knowridge Science Report.

The team brought together two layers of silver bismuth sulfide, each chemically treated to maintain different properties. The study, published in the Advanced Energy Materials journal, discussed how the combination of the layers allows the electricity to flow more quickly and easily, generating higher efficiency than before.

This research has greatly increased the charge diffusion length… maintaining [solar cell] performance even in thicker layers," Professor Choi Jong-min stated. "We expect this eco-friendly technology to be applied to various high-efficiency solar cells in the future."

In addition to this latest collaboration, Jong-min teaches at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology and has led prior projects to improve solar cell lifespan and efficiency.

Swapping out unsafe heavy-metal-based solar panels for those made of silver bismuth sulfide can have serious health and environmental benefits. 

The heavy metals in solar panels have the potential to end up in our water and soil, reported researchers at the National Institute of Health, and since they aren't biodegradable, they can find their way into our food. When absorbed, they can damage the liver, lungs, kidneys, skin, brain, and other organs, and can sometimes prove carcinogenic.

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But this doesn't mean we should be staying away from solar panels altogether, and in fact, the technology isn't a main source of heavy metal pollution. Still, every contribution counts, for better or for worse, and solar panels are well on their way to minimizing any risks with this recent breakthrough.

Solar panels can already help you slash your energy bills, and silver bismuth sulfide technology becoming more prevalent could see solar expenses plummet even further. Since the nanocrystals are so widely available in nature, pivoting away from conventional panel engineering would likely lower material costs.

More efficient solar cell developments could also popularize the installation of solar panels and bring us closer to our global clean energy goals.

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