Can solar energy be used underwater?

In principle, underwater solar-energy generation can complement the use of batteries and provide a solution, although dedicated research is needed since traditional silicon solar cells do not perform well underwater due to water’s strong absorption of near-infrared light.

Do underwater solar devices suffer lower solar radiation?

Underwater devices obviously suffer lower solar radiation, however, citing another study the group said mono and polycrystalline cells would see a 20% fall in conversion efficiency at a depth of 1m but amorphous silicon devices showed less of a reduction at 1.5m, thus exhibiting potentially “stimulating outcomes”.

Are solar cells a viable energy source for underwater power generation?

One of the most promising demonstrated technologies for onboard underwater power generation is solar cells. Solar energy is a consistent source of energy above the ocean surface, but also a surprisingly abundant and consistent source of energy below the ocean surface 9.

How does water depth affect solar spectrum?

In addition, solar spectrum changes occur because of the various depth under the water. As the water depth increase, the spectrum gets narrower (Walters et al., 2015). Initially, the wavelength of light greater than 700 nm is absorbed within 2 m of the water depth and below 20 m depth; all the wavelengths higher than 600 nm are absorbed.

Can Si solar cells power underwater systems?

Thus, although Si solar cells are a mature solar technology and well-tuned for terrestrial applications, they are far from ideal for powering underwater systems due to the narrow bandgap of Si.

Can solar cells be used for underwater harvesting?

For instance, Arima et al., developed an underwater glider powered by a-Si solar cells, citing their potential for underwater harvesting due to their ability to greatly absorb blue light, which penetrates deeper into the oceans 22.