This project seeks to address the need to transition from fossil fuels to cleaner and renewable energy sources by investigating the integration of solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) systems in producing clean hydrogen. The imperative for environmental sustainability and the limitations of traditional energy sources underscore the significance of exploring innovative technologies. Hydrogen, as a clean energy carrier, exhibits tremendous potential due to its high energy storage capacity and minimal environmental impact. The research focuses on enhancing hydrogen generation efficiency through STPV systems, which offer superior energy conversion compared to conventional photovoltaic methods. Using metamaterials, the thermal emitter’s spectrum could be aligned with the photovoltaic cell’s absorption spectrum, and the STPV systems can potentially overcome the limitations of traditional silicon photovoltaic cells, pushing the efficiency boundaries beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit.
- Field: Metamaterial
- Laboratory: Laboratory of Wave Engineering (STI IEM LWE)
- Project leader: Amir Jafargholi
- Budget: Phase I : 30’000.00 CHF – Phase II : 32’500 CHF