New solar cell tech could make your panel 10% more efficient
New solar cell tech could make your panel 10% more efficient
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Published on
22 October 2025
Research from University of New South Wales could increase a solar panels power
The average panel could also last longer, by about four years
Developments are good for solar panel value chain
Singlet Fission in action. Credit: University of New South Wales
Solar panels could soon be 10% more efficient and last for an extra four years after researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) developed a potentially revolutionary solar cell technology.
The researchers said they have created new silicon solar cells using a process called singled fission, which can increase a solar panel’s efficiency from around 20% to 30%, increasing the amount of energy it can generate.
Not only does it make solar panels more efficient, but it also means fewer of them are needed to generate the same amount of energy, which means less pressure on production and supply chains.
“Silicon modules today typically achieve 20–25% efficiency, singlet fission could lift that figure beyond 30%, meaning fewer panels are needed for the same energy output,” the University said.
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It also claimed that it would make solar panels cheaper and make it easier to integrate them with domestic heating systems and electric vehicles (EVs).
Singlet fission allows one high-energy photon to generate two excited electron-hole pairs, which the University said effectively doubles the electrical yield from the bluest part of the solar spectrum – where the solar energy comes from.
Credit: University of New South Wales
The University’s models suggest that adding a singlet fission layer could improve silicon solar cell efficiency by more than 10%.
It also reduces the silicon cell operating temperature by about 2.4 degrees celsius. For consumers, this brings down replacement and repair costs, and increases the value of long-term purchase power agreements.
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Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.
In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.
He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.
Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.
As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.
His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.
Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.
Tamara BirchNewsletter and sponsored content editor
Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.
She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.
In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.
Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.
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