Name: A printable, flexible, organic solar cell
Uploaded: 2018-04-17T12:27:50Z
Duration: 10 min 5 s
Description: Unlike the solar cells you're used to seeing, organic photovoltaics are made of compounds that are dissolved in ink and can be printed and molded using simple techniques. The result is a low-weight, flexible, semi-transparent film that turns the energy of the sun into electricity. Hannah Bürckstümmer shows us how they're made -- and how they could change the way we power the world.

Hannah Bürckstümmer: A printable, flexible, organic solar cell

A printable, flexible, organic solar cell

Unlike the solar cells you're used to seeing, organic photovoltaics are made of compounds that are dissolved in ink and can be printed and molded using simple techniques. The result is a low-weight, flexible, semi-transparent film that turns the energy of the sun into electricity. Hannah Bürckstümmer shows us how they're made -- and how they could change the way we power the world.

A breakthrough in organic solar technology could transform how buildings interact with energy. These printable, lightweight, and semi-transparent films harness sunlight—even with a layer 100 times thinner than a human hair. By integrating power generation into facades and glass, buildings could shift from energy consumers to energy providers. With buildings accounting for 40 percent of global energy use, this innovation offers a practical path toward a carbon-neutral future.