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These flexible cells achieve 9.2 percent energy efficiency while maintaining 35 percent transparency.
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have created semi-transparent, color-tunable solar cells.
Interestingly, these can be 3D-printed onto windows, building façades, and flexible surfaces.
These panels shed the bulky, industrial look of solar arrays, giving designers the choice between a slightly transparent window or a vibrant, color-tinted architectural feature.
Standard solar panels face a trade-off: to generate more power, you must block more light. 
To solve this, Professors Shlomo Magdassi and Lioz Etgar from the Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology looked at the problem through a microscopic lens.
The team used 3D printing to create a pattern of microscopic polymer pillars that function as high-precision optical gates. 
In manufacturing, the spacing of these tiny structures is carefully evaluated. 
Through this, the researchers can precisely control how much light filters through without altering the chemical makeup of the solar material itself. 
Moreover, the method is also said to be eco-friendly. 
The printing process bypasses the harsh heat and toxic chemicals typical of standard manufacturing. Hence, it remains gentle enough for flexible materials, paving the way for eco-friendly production of solar-active plastics and foils.
“Our goal was to rethink how transparency is achieved in solar cells,” said Prof. Magdassi. 
“By using 3D-printed polymer structures made from non-toxic, solvent-free materials, we can precisely control how light moves through the device in a way that is scalable and practical for real-world use,” Magdassi added. 
Architects have long avoided solar glass because it often looks muddy or creates a brownish tint that ruins a building’s aesthetic. 
The Hebrew University team fixed this by adjusting the thickness of a transparent electrode layer. By doing so, the tech can force the cell to reflect specific wavelengths of light.
This allows the solar panels to take on a variety of vibrant colors — like a high-tech stained glass — while the rest of the light spectrum continues to penetrate the cell to generate electricity.
“What’s especially exciting is that we can customize both how the device looks and how flexible it is, without sacrificing performance,” said Prof. Etgar. 
“That makes this technology particularly relevant for solar windows and for adding solar functionality to existing buildings,” he added. 
Further lab tests showed promise. 
These flexible cells achieve 9.2 percent energy efficiency while maintaining 35 percent transparency — a balance ideal for functional windows.
Moreover, the cells proved their resilience by maintaining steady performance through continuous operation and repeated physical bending. 
These results establish the technology as a viable, durable solution for the demanding conditions of real-world architectural environments.
In the future, the technique could enable energy-harvesting layers to be applied to delicate, curved surfaces such as plastic or foil. 
This unlocks a future where power generation is built into our surroundings: smartphone screens could trickle-charge from ambient light, and car sunroofs could run climate-control systems independently.
For now, the team is perfecting encapsulation layers — thin protective coatings designed to keep the cells working for decades in harsh weather. 
The study was published in the journal EES Solar. 
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
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