Solar panel breakthrough could almost double the efficiency of today's panels

Here's hoping the new approach trickles down to consumer panels someday.

By Ian Carlos Campbell Nov. 7, 2026 11:45 am EST ICFO Add Engadget on Google: Google Discover

Researchers at the Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO) have discovered a novel way to design solar panels that can dramatically increase their energy efficiency. Notably, while existing studies have focused on reducing how much solar energy is lost to heat, ICFO's research addresses another limiting factor: Boltzmann loss, or the energy lost to the light solar panels emit.