Coal Solar Cells

Case ID: E2011-077

Web Published: 12/16/2020

Coal solar cells involve a new and innovative way of utilizing coal, namely using it as an energy carrier to convert solar energy to heat and electricity instead of as an energy source (by consuming it) to generate heat and electricity. The invention intends to (1) harvest and convert solar energy to heat and electricity for solar cell devices and (2) bring the cost of solar cell devices down. The invention greatly enhances the current solar energy utilization by reducing the cost of solar cell devices and garnishes a clean utilization of coal. Coal solar cells can be used widely as house shingles, part of house walls, and enclosing walls of a property and meanwhile to produce heat and electricity for the household.

Intellectual Property Status: Patent pending.

Potential Commercial Uses: Dye for solar cells Benefits and Competitive Advantages: Clean energy production from coal, an abundant resource Production of cheaper dyes for solar cells

Brief Description: The invention will allow fabrication of solar cell dye based on coal that will be simpler to synthesize and utilize, and therefore less costly, than existing dyes.

Keywords: Lichang Wang, SIUC Technology Transfer, Southern Illinois University, coal, solar cells, solar cell dye, solar energy, clean coal technology, coal research, SIUC coal