New solar cell works for 10,000 hours

Researchers engineered a solar cell that worked for 10,000 hours without its performance being compromised, according to a new study.

Why it matters: The solar energy industry has been intensely focused on perovskite solar cells that cost less to produce compared to silicon-based ones. Perovskite cells could potentially disrupt the industry but have been hampered by the fact that they can rapidly degrade with wear and tear from water and UV light.

The next step: The efficiency of the new solar cell was low — only up to 12.7%. If the stability can be achieved with previously demonstrated efficiencies for perovskite cells (upwards of 22% and on par with silicon solar cells), the price of solar energy might even compete with fossil fuels.