Emirates News Agency:Weizhou Islands Researchers have achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing solar panels at a depth of 10 metres underwater, an advancement that could enable prolonged operation of underwater equipment without sole reliance on batteries.
According to Emirates News Agency, the panels were designed to capture sunlight wavelengths capable of penetrating seawater, allowing them to generate power during a two-hour trial near China's southern Weizhou Islands. Laboratory tests indicate the potential for continuous operation over several years.
This research, published in the journal Joule, surpasses previous studies that focused on depths of only two metres or less. The primary challenge of underwater solar power generation is the absorption and scattering of sunlight by water. However, blue and green light can penetrate deeper, leading researchers to develop solar cells using perovskites instead of silicon, which can be tuned to absorb various light wavelengths.
In lab conditions simulating 10-metre depths, these cells converted approximately 35% of received sunlight into electricity. Subsequent tests in the South China Sea showed that at 10 metres, the larger panels generated 324 milliwatt-hours over two hours, exceeding expectations.
The researchers project that these solar panels could continuously operate at this depth for about five and a half years.