Scientists generate solar power 10 metres beneath the sea

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Scientists have demonstrated perovskite solar cells generating electricity at a depth of 10 metres in the South China Sea, a depth previously considered impractical for underwater solar
• The technology is designed to capture blue and green wavelengths that can penetrate seawater

🔭 The context: In a two-hour sea trial near China’s Weizhou Islands, a 115 cm² panel generated 324 milliwatt-hours at 10 metres
• Laboratory testing showed around 35% efficiency for the sunlight reaching the cells, while 1,160 hours of simulated underwater exposure produced almost no performance loss

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Underwater solar could provide low-maintenance power for ocean sensors, cameras and communication equipment, potentially reducing reliance on batteries and diesel-powered systems
• Its broader climate benefit would depend on durability, manufacturing impacts and whether the technology can generate useful amounts of electricity at greater depths

⏭️ What’s next: Researchers estimate the panels could operate continuously at 10 metres for about 5.5 years, but this remains an estimate based on laboratory testing
• The next step is testing how the technology performs at greater depths and over longer periods in real marine conditions

💬 One quote: “This work presents the first functional validation of submerged solar cells practically operating at a water depth of up to about 10 meters.” — Wen-Hua Zhang, study author.

📈 One stat: 35% — the reported efficiency of the perovskite cells in laboratory tests under conditions simulating 10 metres of seawater

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