What if solar panels could generate power not just in direct sunlight, but even under cloud cover? That’s the idea behind AuREUS, a solar-film innovation created by Filipino engineer Carvey Ehren Maigue. Using luminescent particles extracted from fruit and vegetable waste, AuREUS captures ultraviolet (UV) light — often present even on overcast days — converts it into visible light, and sends that light to photovoltaic (PV) cells. It’s a clever mashup of upcycling, materials science, and renewable energy design. This could change how and where solar harvesting is possible: facades, windows, building-skins, even cities.
The Problem with Conventional Solar Panels
Traditional solar panels rely heavily on direct sunlight. On cloudy days, or in shady urban environments, their efficiency drops sharply because visible light is reduced, and many panels don’t absorb much UV light. Also, solar installations are often limited by angle, roof space, and suitability for mounting. For many urban or tropical areas with frequent cloud cover, that’s a major barrier.
Additionally, much crop waste (fruits, vegetables, or parts of harvests destroyed by extreme weather) goes unused or rots, creating disposal issues and lost value.
From these, naturally luminescent particles are isolated (they glow when exposed to UV). World Economic Forum+1
These particles are embedded into a clear, flexible resin film. The film acts like a coating or panel on a surface. World Economic Forum+1
The embedded particles absorb UV rays, even those diffused by clouds or bouncing off surfaces. They re-emit that energy as visible light. World Economic Forum+2Designboom+2
The visible light is then harvested by small PV cells placed along the edges or in areas where they can collect that light. Thus, energy is produced under broader light‐conditions than normal panels. World Economic Forum+1
Performance, Benefits & Real-World Use
AuREUS offers some exciting advantages:
More usable hours: Preliminary tests show that panels with AuREUS technology can generate power much more frequently — reportedly producing energy up to ~50% of the time under certain light conditions vs. conventional panels, which produce effectively under direct/sufficient sunlight maybe 15-22% of the time. Textile Technology Source+2World Economic Forum+2
Versatility in application: Because the film is flexible and clear (or translucent), it can be used on building facades, windows, shaded areas, vertical surfaces, not just rooftops. This opens up more space for energy capture. World Economic Forum+2Textile Technology Source+2
Upcycling agricultural waste: Turning crop waste into something useful both reduces waste and provides supplementary income or value for farmers. World Economic Forum+1
Better performance in cloudy or diffused light: Since UV light can penetrate clouds, the film can still work when visible sunlight is weak. That’s especially useful in tropical regions or cloudy climates. World Economic Forum+1
Challenges & Limitations
Even promising innovations have trade-offs. AuREUS is early stage and faces several hurdles:
Efficiency loss: Extracting luminescent particles and converting UV → visible light introduces some loss. The re-emitted visible light also needs to travel to PV cells without being lost.
Durability of materials: The resin film and luminescent particles must resist UV degradation, weather, temperature shifts, and mechanical stresses (wind, bending, rain) over long periods.
Cost & scalability: Collecting, processing, and refining plant waste into useful luminescent particles must be cost-effective at large scale. Small experiments are one thing; mass manufacture with quality consistency is another.
Integration into PV systems: PV cells must be placed in ways that can collect the re-emitted light efficiently without adding overly complex or expensive mounting. Also, there’s likely less power per square metre than in ideal sun-exposed traditional panels, so scale matters.
Regulation, building codes, adoption: New material coatings or films used on facades or windows may need certification. Market acceptance will depend on proven durability and return on investment.
Future Directions
If AuREUS continues to develop, here are likely paths forward:
Testing long-term performance under real weather cycles (rain, temperature, UV exposure, pollutants).
Optimizing the luminescent particles: selecting crops or plant types that yield best light conversion, perhaps genetic or processing enhancements.
Improving film transparency, thickness, and design so that visible light losses are minimized.
Reducing cost of production and waste processing. Possibly integration with local agricultural supply chains.
Exploring hybrid systems: combining AuREUS panels with conventional PV for mixed roof/window systems.
Regulatory and building integration efforts: developing certifications for energy-coating facades, building windows that double as solar collectors.
FAQs
Q1: Can AuREUS panels generate energy even when completely overcast? Yes — because UV light penetrates clouds more than visible light, the system is designed to capture UV and convert it, so some energy production is possible even without direct sun.
Q2: Are these panels transparent / how do they look? The films are semi-translucent or clear depending on design. Some versions allow visible light through, making them suitable for windows or facades. They may have a tinted or used visual effect depending on particle concentration.
Q3: Is there any environmental harm from luminescent particles or the resin? So far, the materials extracted are from plant waste and likely non-toxic. But long-term effects, especially for the resin matrix, UV exposure, and wear, will need study.
Q4: How far are we from commercial availability? The project is still largely at prototype / lab / small pilot scale. To become commercial, it needs durability testing, cost optimization, and partnerships, likely over the next few years.
Conclusion
AuREUS shines as an example of what’s possible when waste meets smart materials science. Using luminescent pigments from plant waste to convert UV light into visible light for PV harvest opens new spatial opportunities for solar collection — windows, building skins, even shaded facades.
While there’s still work to be done, especially around durability, scale, and efficiency, the idea itself hits a sweet spot: renewables, upcycling, and accessibility. If innovations like AuREUS scale up well, we can start painting our buildings, not just their roofs, with solar potential — rain or shine.
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Solar Panels from Plant Waste: AuREUS’s Game-Changing UV to Visible Light Innovation
Introduction
What if solar panels could generate power not just in direct sunlight, but even under cloud cover? That’s the idea behind AuREUS, a solar-film innovation created by Filipino engineer Carvey Ehren Maigue. Using luminescent particles extracted from fruit and vegetable waste, AuREUS captures ultraviolet (UV) light — often present even on overcast days — converts it into visible light, and sends that light to photovoltaic (PV) cells. It’s a clever mashup of upcycling, materials science, and renewable energy design. This could change how and where solar harvesting is possible: facades, windows, building-skins, even cities.
The Problem with Conventional Solar Panels
Traditional solar panels rely heavily on direct sunlight. On cloudy days, or in shady urban environments, their efficiency drops sharply because visible light is reduced, and many panels don’t absorb much UV light. Also, solar installations are often limited by angle, roof space, and suitability for mounting. For many urban or tropical areas with frequent cloud cover, that’s a major barrier.
Additionally, much crop waste (fruits, vegetables, or parts of harvests destroyed by extreme weather) goes unused or rots, creating disposal issues and lost value.
AuREUS: How It Works
Here’s what is happening with the AuREUS system:
Performance, Benefits & Real-World Use
AuREUS offers some exciting advantages:
Challenges & Limitations
Even promising innovations have trade-offs. AuREUS is early stage and faces several hurdles:
Future Directions
If AuREUS continues to develop, here are likely paths forward:
FAQs
Q1: Can AuREUS panels generate energy even when completely overcast?
Yes — because UV light penetrates clouds more than visible light, the system is designed to capture UV and convert it, so some energy production is possible even without direct sun.
Q2: Are these panels transparent / how do they look?
The films are semi-translucent or clear depending on design. Some versions allow visible light through, making them suitable for windows or facades. They may have a tinted or used visual effect depending on particle concentration.
Q3: Is there any environmental harm from luminescent particles or the resin?
So far, the materials extracted are from plant waste and likely non-toxic. But long-term effects, especially for the resin matrix, UV exposure, and wear, will need study.
Q4: How far are we from commercial availability?
The project is still largely at prototype / lab / small pilot scale. To become commercial, it needs durability testing, cost optimization, and partnerships, likely over the next few years.
Conclusion
AuREUS shines as an example of what’s possible when waste meets smart materials science. Using luminescent pigments from plant waste to convert UV light into visible light for PV harvest opens new spatial opportunities for solar collection — windows, building skins, even shaded facades.
While there’s still work to be done, especially around durability, scale, and efficiency, the idea itself hits a sweet spot: renewables, upcycling, and accessibility. If innovations like AuREUS scale up well, we can start painting our buildings, not just their roofs, with solar potential — rain or shine.
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