Solar energy has always been one of the leading options and promises for reducing dependence on fossil fuels, especially now that we’re really starting to feel the effects of climate change (or haven’t you noticed it’s been extremely hot lately, and it’s not just because it’s summer?).

Now, a group of Swedish scientists has created a solar panel made of wood, using kraft lignin, an organic material found abundantly in plants. This breakthrough, led by Linköping University and KTH in Sweden, shows that it’s possible to develop cleaner, cheaper, and more stable solar cells without relying on plastic or silicon!

A real alternative to traditional solar cells, and they’re still in the early stages! But the potential is huge… Just imagine a future where solar panels are made 100% from plant-based materials!

Truly green energy

Yes, the solar panels we see everywhere today generate electricity and are efficient, but they’re not easy to make, and they’re far from eco-friendly… They’re complex and polluting. That’s why this discovery is so striking: solar cells that are organic, and also flexible and lightweight! And they don’t rely on petroleum-based plastics.

Its name: kraft lignin

The real innovation was incorporating kraft lignin, a substance extracted from wood during the paper-making process, as part of the electron transport layer in the solar cell.

Right now, this component makes up just a small portion of the panel, but it has already shown improvements in the system’s stability, thanks to its strong ability to form hydrogen bonds, something none of us would have guessed.

Mats Fahlman, one of the researchers at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE), says their goal is to build solar cells that are efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly through this process, and the best part is that it all seems achievable. No utopias here!

Additionally, this organic solar cell uses an electron transport layer connected to the cell’s cathode, and it’s made from material extracted from wood pulp, almost like making papier-mâché!

But what could it be used for?

Right now, organic solar cells are mainly used indoors or in low-consumption devices. But the idea is that, as the technique improves, we’ll be able to use these wooden solar panels to power entire home systems. Isn’t it amazing to think you could run your whole house thanks to wood?

Not the most efficient, but definitely the most sustainable

Mats Fahlman, professor on the research team, admits that this type of cell won’t reach the efficiency levels of traditional ones, but its low cost and minimal environmental impact make up for it. According to him, an efficiency of 15 to 20% is enough for many real-world applications.

And while we know other universities are also working with materials like perovskite, this new discovery certainly deserves its own headlines!

Is this the future of energy?

For now, it’s at least the first step. What matters most is that development is underway, and yes, even though the goal is long-term, the idea of building solar panels where nearly all materials come from renewable wood sources marks a major shift in the research paradigm. Especially when we consider that the main purpose isn’t just profit (though of course, it will be profitable, no one works for free), but thinking long-term about our planet, which is falling apart.

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