Watch the new video created for the TERRA project, a project granted by Barcelona City Council to researcher Sergi Riera-Galindo from NANOPTO to integrate stable organic solar mini-modules at bus stops to power lighting devices.
“Bus stop integrated organic photovoltaics (TERRA)” is the project lead by Sergi Riera-Galindo and aims to integrate stable organic photovoltaics mini-modules on bus stops to power light devices for a future smart city.
The current energy and climate crisis requires the more widespread use of renewable energies. Photovoltaic energy is an excellent method to supply energy needs with clean and renewable energy from the city. Usually, photovoltaic modules have been installed on large areas of land, or in small installations on the roofs of buildings. It is essential to find new spaces where you can install modules photovoltaics to be able to power electronic devices autonomously, which are essential to create smart cities, such as environmental sensors or devices lights. However, commercially available photovoltaic modules are difficult to integrate into urban architecture due to their rigidity, opacity or aesthetic issues.
In recent years, the efficiency of emerging photovoltaic technologies has increased significantly, which has involved their initial commercialization. Among these technologies, organic photovoltaic stands out for its low cost due to its ease of production and the materials used, its flexibility, and the ease of adjusting the color and transparency of the photovoltaic modules. In addition, the optical properties of organic materials allow organic photovoltaics to maintain high efficiency with diffuse incident light, which is ideal for urban environments, where sunlight often cannot strike directly.
These characteristics make organic photovoltaics an ideal technology for integration into buildings and street furniture. In this project, photovoltaic modules will be manufactured with organic materials a from printing methods. Specific combinatorial screening techniques will be used in order to speed up the selection of optimal materials both in terms of efficiency and stability. Likewise, as proof of concept, a model of a bus stop will be created where a photovoltaic module will be integrated which will power LED lighting. This project is an example for future green and ambitious policies to tackle climate change.
Thanks to conceptualized.tech for the video!
More information on the project here.
