Zhengzhou – Solar energy may soon power a whole new frontier: the ocean floor. A recent study published in Energy & Environmental Materials has shown that perovskite solar cells can operate efficiently underwater, opening the door to sustainable energy solutions in submerged environments.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Italy’s National Research Council (CNR)—through its Institute of Structure of Matter (CNR-ISM) and Institute for Physical-Chemical Processes (CNR-IPCF)—the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and BeDimensional Spa, a leader in 2D material technologies.
At depths of up to 50 meters, only blue-green light penetrates the water. Tests using FAPbBr₃-based perovskite cells revealed impressive performance: in shallow water, the cells actually generated more energy than in open air.
While solar panels are now common on rooftops, greenhouses, and even in space, the marine environment remains largely unexplored.
“This pioneering work,” says lead researcher Jessica Barichello (CNR-ISM), “not only proves that perovskites function well in wet conditions, but also opens up new sustainable uses for underwater spaces—already key to fields like marine farming, wine aging, and other innovative sectors.”