Design of highly efficient, all-artificial, molecular-level energy conversion machines exploiting the principles of natural photosynthesis
- Artificial “molecular machines” that turn sunlight into chemical fuel.
- “Smart materials” based on nature’s ability to transfer captured solar energy with no energy loss.
- Self-repairing solar conversion systems.
- Devices that absorb all the colors in the solar spectrum for energy conversion, not just a fraction.
- Far more efficient solar cells created using nanotechnologies.
- New materials for high-capacity, slow-release thermal storage.
Cross-cutting research directions include:
- Coaxing cheap materials to perform as well as expensive materials.
- Developing new solar cell designs that surpass traditional efficiency limits.
- Finding catalysts that enable inexpensive, efficient conversion of solar energy into chemical fuels.
- Developing materials for solar energy conversion infrastructure, such as transparent conductors and robust, inexpensive thermal management materials.
Solar energy conversion systems fall into three categories: solar electricity, solar fuels and solar thermal systems.