China Successfully Tests World's First Underwater Solar Power Station at Sea

Chinese scientists have developed the world's first underwater solar power station and successfully tested it offshore at a depth of 10 meters. This system is believed to open new horizons for powering underwater operations. A specialized team from Yunnan University developed the station, employing a photovoltaic system based on perovskite lead halides, a class of semiconductor materials, at a depth of 10 meters. The submerged facility successfully charged batteries and powered an LED panel, confirming the feasibility of harnessing solar energy even in the 'dim greenish-blue ocean twilight'. Scientist Wenxue Zhang from Yunnan University clarified that previous innovations in underwater solar cells were designed for operation at shallow depths not exceeding two meters, which fails to reflect realistic operating conditions. He highlighted that the current development has, for the first time, proven the efficiency of solar cells in realistic conditions at a depth of up to 10 meters. The developers anticipate this technology will find wide applications in underwater sensors, detectors, cameras, and communication systems, in addition to serving as a power source for robots and submerged devices.