South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Associate Professor Phil Ahrenkiel has been awarded a $179,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to research next-generation solar cells. Dr. Ahrenkiel will develop a novel approach to using earth-abundant metal aluminum to improve commercializable photovoltaic solar cells for low-cost renewable energy. If this research is successful, it will lead to the fabrication of solar cells on thin, flexible, and lightweight aluminum ribbons or sheets, which could be transferred to glass and integrated with residential or commercial buildings.
Innovation: Dr. Phil Ahrenkiel
