Titania solar cells are a new type of photovoltaic device invented by Professor Michael Gratzel at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland). Titania solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity through a process similar to photosynthesis. It has performance advantages over other solar cells, which include the ability to perform well in low light and shade, and to perform consistently well over a wide range of temperatures. Titania solar cells can be fabricated to be either transparent or opaque in appearance. The simple materials, construction technique and processing equipment make Titania modules attractive for affordable power generation. Applications of such a module include many consumer and professional products, including vertically mounted solar tiles used as integrated building materials and, in future, used as power generating windows. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
