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Energy

Interdisciplinary Research Centre
 
Date: 
Tuesday, 24 March, 2020 - 18:00 to 19:00
Event location: 
Cavendish Laboratory, Pippard Theatre, Department of Physics J J Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE

The UK has promised to reduce its net emissions to zero by 2050. While this is a necessary and ambitious goal, the path to achieving this goal is unclear. Utilising sunlight is a bright solution, as the Sun provides Earth with more power than we use.

In this lecture I will discuss how scientists are working towards capturing and harnessing more of the Sun’s light by using new and versatile solar cell materials. Current solar cell technologies, like silicon, are approaching their fundamental limitations. However, the potential to harness more sunlight is possible with new materials such as halide perovskites. Perovskite materials are cheap to produce and manufacture, and although they present many challenges, such as stability, their high efficiencies make them very promising for commercialisation.

Find out how fundamental research can make the world a much better place for all of us.

This lecture for sixth form physicists will start sharp at 6pm, please arrive on time. Tea, biscuits and a physics quiz are available for early arrivals.

No need to book

A part of the Cambridge Science Festival 2020.