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Progress in research into organic solar cells has been rapid in recent years. These cells are environmentally sensitive, can be printed onto large surfaces, and open completely new possibilities for husbanding the energy of the sun.

Polymer solar cells could be even cheaper and more reliable thanks to a breakthrough by researchers at Linköping University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). This work is about avoiding costly and unstable fullerenes.

Researchers at LiU, together with Chinese and American colleagues, have developed organic solar cells with a significantly lower driving force and faster charge separation than previous cells. The results have been published in Nature Energy.

Researchers Feng Gao and Daniel Västfjäll at LiU have been appointed as new Wallenberg Scholars. In addition, six LiU researchers will have their  scholar periods extended. Each researcher receives between SEK 18 and 20 million for five years.

Researchers at LiU have discovered a quantum phenomenon that influences the formation of free charges in organic solar cells. “If we can properly understand what’s going on, we can increase the efficiency”, says Olle Inganäs, professor emeritus.

At spin-off company Epishine, the printing presses are feeding out solar cells in printed electronics intended for indoor use. Olle Inganäs has an even higher goal: organic solar cells will contribute to solving the world’s energy problems.

The transition to fossil freedom can’t happen overnight, but it can go much faster than it is. The technology is available, and in many cases is commercially available or nearly so. The labs at Linköping University hold hope for the future.

Twenty-five researchers from seven research institutes have put their heads together to draw up rules for designing high-efficiency organic solar cells. The research, led by associate professor Feng Gao, have been published in Nature Materials.

The ability to use cheap materials and simple manufacturing methods are two huge advantages of printed organic solar cells. Olle Inganäs and his research group has now developed an even simpler method to manufacture solar cell modules.

Swedish and Chinese scientists have developed organic solar cells optimised to convert ambient indoor light to electricity. The power they produce is low, but enough to feed the millions of products that the internet of things will bring online.