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Video: MIT engineers develop paper-thin solar cells that can power any surface

Posted in solar power, sustainability

The ultralight solar cells are made of semiconducting inks using printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing.

A group of engineers at MIT have developed a rather interesting solution to be deployed in remote locations or for assistance in emergencies: solar cells made of ultralight fabric that can turn any surface into a power source.

The research is published in Small Methods.


Melanie Gonick, MIT

Thinner than human hair, the durable, flexible solar cells are stuck on a strong, lightweight fabric that makes them very easy to affix to a surface, just like a sticker.