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NANOSPLIT developed a smart fluid that helps keep solar cells cool while maximising total energy output. It is pursuing further advancements for next-generation hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal systems.
The EU-funded NANOSPLIT project was launched in 2021 to improve the efficiency of concentrated photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) systems – hybrid designs that produce both electricity and usable high-temperature heat at the same time. Promising to help increase the share of renewables in the energy mix, these systems combine solar energy technology that uses lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto a small solar cell area while simultaneously capturing the excess heat generated. Conventional PV-T technologies have a major drawback. At higher solar radiation intensities, the temperatures are also higher, which makes the PV cells in these systems less efficient. NANOSPLIT tackled this problem by designing new nanofluid-based spectral splitters. This cutting-edge solar technology filters sunlight, allowing optimal wavelengths to pass to solar cells for electricity conversion, while absorbing the unused, heat-generating wavelengths to provide thermal energy for domestic hot water or space heating. Since its completion in 2023, the project has been collaborating with both old and new partners to further develop this technology.
With their much higher overall efficiency, hybrid solar PV-T systems are already one step ahead of standalone PV and solar thermal systems. NANOSPLIT’s spectral-splitting technology took this a step further through total use of the solar spectrum. By separating the ultraviolet and infrared from the visible part of the solar spectrum, the project team amplified electricity generation alongside thermal energy harvesting, at the same time maintaining PV cells at low temperatures to ensure longer lifetimes. NANOSPLIT’s breakthrough involved carefully designed hybrid nanofluids made of zinc oxide sheets and gold nanoparticles that act as a smart filter for sunlight. They allow visible and near-infrared light to pass through, illuminating PV cells, while directing ultraviolet and heat-carrying infrared wavelengths to thermal components. Heat is efficiently trapped by the hybrid nanofluids, making the material durable and effective for long-term use. The project team presented these developments at ECOS 2024, an international conference held in Rhodes, Greece, focusing on thermodynamic advancements and sustainable energy transitions.
Since its completion, NANOSPLIT has been engaged in both new and existing collaborative efforts with partners in Europe and India to further develop the technology, with real-world deployment as its goal. The latest research now includes carbon dot nanofluids, which can be ‘tuned’ to react to specific colours of light. They can potentially also be combined with other materials or structured to make them stronger, more stable and more efficient. An Imperial College London spin-out, Solar Flow(opens in new window), is focusing on higher-temperature industrial heat applications with significant potential for affordable carbon reduction. The NANOSPLIT (Nanofluid Spectral Beam Splitter Assisted Hybrid CPV/T System) project has created a technology that promotes solar use beyond the capabilities of conventional systems, and with a real potential to reshape EU and global future energy systems. Christos Markides, professor of clean energy technologies at Imperial College London, which coordinated the project, comments: “NANOSPLIT has been successful in demonstrating how advanced optical and thermal management solutions can be used effectively to unlock the next generation of solar utilisation technologies.” The ‘Life After’ feature shines a light on finished EU-funded projects and what they have achieved since the end of EU funding. If you are interested in having your project featured as a ‘Life After’ project, please send us an email to editorial@cordis.europa.eu and tell us why!
2 July 2024
Last update: 10 August 2026
Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/466747-catching-up-with-nanosplit-transforming-sunlight-into-electricity-and-useful-heat
European Union, 2026
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