A team of University of Texas at Dallas researchers has discovered a “recipe” to increase the efficiency of solar cells made from organic materials.  Organic solar cells (OSCs) could reduce the cost of solar panels because they are made with organic polymers and molecules instead of silicon.

A Spinout from University of Exeter, Build Solar, has developed an innovative glass brick, which can be incorporated into the fabric of a building and is designed to collect solar energy and convert it to electricity.

Carvey Ehren Maigue, an engineering student at Mapúa University in Manila, Philippines, won the first James Dyson Sustainability award for his work in developing solar panels that can extract UV light using fruit and vegetable food scraps. The AuREUS system is an evolution for walls/windows, and uses technology synthesized from upcycled crop waste to absorb stray UV light from sunlight and convert it to clean renewable electricity.

MIT engineers have developed a scalable fabrication technique to produce ultrathin, lightweight solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source. Some solar cells are so lightweight they can sit on a soap bubble.  Because they are so thin, these cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces.  

Australian company 5B has developed a hinged, folding solar array for ridiculously quick and easy installation at industrial scale. In May, 5B showed just how quick: a team of 10 covered the area of a soccer field with a 1.1-MW array in a single day.  The company says it's not just the fastest array to install – it's also much easier to pack down and move than other designs, making it appropriate for non-permanent sites.