BIOVOLTAICO - Il CHOSE per l’Agrivoltaico
Applicazioni innovative del FV semitrasparente in agricoltura
Il Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica dell'Università di Roma Tor Vergata (DIE), attraverso il Laboratorio CHOSE , sviluppa tecnologie innovative in grado di interagire positivamente sugli aspetti agricoli e biologici della crescita delle colture sotto pannelli fotovoltaici semitrasparenti, spettralmente selettivi, come il FV a base di semiconduttori organici polimerici (OPV) ed i moduli basati sulla tecnologia fotoelettrochimica a colorante (DSSC). Il CHOSE - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica - è uno dei partner co-beneficiari del progetto BIOVOLTAICO, con capofila la società Intellienergia, e con CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria e la società Bassano Natura s.a.r.l. come altri co-beneficiari. Il contributo erogato da Lazioinnova ammonta a 49.520,00€, per un importo totale di progetto (compreso di cofinanziamento del DIE) pari a 61.900,00€.
Il CHOSE sviluppa nel WP1 del progetto una copertura sperimentale in FV semitrasparente in tecnologia DSSC e OPV per 4m2 totali, 3m2 in tecnologia DSSC, ed 1m2 in tecnologia OPV. I risultati ottenuti con il primo batch di moduli DSSC permettono di ottenere una efficienza del 3.9% con una trasparenza su area geometrica del modulo pari al 30%. I moduli OPV in corso di sviluppo mostrano efficienze superiori al 4% con una trasparenza ACT (Average Chlorophyll Transparency) superiore al 30%.
20 February 2023
Organic semiconductors have been shown to be promising for interfacing with biological systems because they are biocompatible, printable and their optical properties can be tailored. A multidisciplinary international team from seven research institutes have designed a bio-photoelectrolytic platform based on semiconducting polymer thin films, onto which cells were cultured immersing both in an aqueous biological medium. The team demonstrated it is possible to inhibit cell proliferation by 50% in a cancer cell line by subjecting the platform to a series of light pulses over time. Light stimulation was found to increase the concentration of calcium ions inside the cells by three times. The platform also enabled to measure bio-electrical signals. The bio–photoelectrolytic platform and the effective use of light stimulation may open new avenues for in vitro light control/manipulation of cell behaviour, for the development of future novel non-invasive tools for application in bio-sensing, regenerative medicine and cell-based therapy, and for cancer progression control and therapy.
Results are published in Advanced NanoBiomed Research, 2200127 (2023)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anbr.202200127
For more information download the press release
You are invited to participate at the Online Conference on New Generation Photovoltaics for Space (PVSPACE), from 21th to 22th of June 2022.
Compared with the terrestrial environment, the cosmic space environment is very harsh. Space is characterized by ultra-high vacuum, extreme temperatures and also exposure to several high-energy charged particles and rays. In line with the fast-growing space economy, new generation of photovoltaic systems e.g., perovskite solar cells and multi-junction thin film PVs have been shown a great potential for compete with conventional PV systems in the space applications due to high efficiency in ultra-low-cost devices, low energy payback time, solution-process and roll-to-roll fabrication, high specific power and intrinsic stability against high energy particles and rays.
The scope of the conference is to gather international experts in new generation photovoltaics such as perovskite, organic PV or tandem between new generation and conventional PV, to have a fresh update on the development in the field and to define new opportunities of new generation PV in space applications. From space applications we consider not only those which are available nowadays such as satellite powering but also new space developments such as extraterrestrial bases, deployable flexible PV arrays, inflatable solar cells etc. The conference would also focus on space relevant tests of new PV technologies as well as the first experimental demonstration on the space environment.
Conference Organizer: Dr. Narges Yaghoobi Nia, Prof. Aldo Di Carlo, Prof. Luigi Schirone, Dr. Mahmoud Zendehdel
22 January 2022
Perovskite semiconductor solar cells are a very exciting photovoltaic technology possessing similar efficiencies to silicon but cast or printed in thin films via liquid inks. A new method that uses a simple sheet of paper to deposit the perovskite films that does without any expensive equipment at all has been developed by a team from Tor Vergata University and University of Zanjan. The trick to achieve high performance with this remarkably cheap method is to soak the paper applicator in anti-solvent which almost doubles efficiencies compared to when using it dry, reaching 11% on flexible plastic substrates. Paper, compared to other soft applicators, possesses the right porosity and smoothness for deposition of high quality perovskite films.
Video of the method can be watched on CHOSE Youtube channel:
https://youtu.be/4qrKZtuc1HoResults are published in iScience 25, 103712 (2022)
https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(21)01682-5
For more information download the press release