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China Tests First Practical Submarine Solar Power Plant at 10 Metres Depth
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Breakthrough Submarine Solar Farm Tested at 10 Metres
A research team from Yunnan University has demonstrated the world’s first functional submarine solar array operating at a depth of 10 metres (33 feet) in the open sea. The experiment, reported in the journal *Joule* and published on September 11, showed that a perovskite-based photovoltaic system could charge batteries and illuminate an LED panel despite only about 10 percent of surface sunlight reaching that depth.
Technical Design and Laboratory Performance
The scientists selected lead-halide perovskite cells with a 1.96 eV band gap to match the blue-green light that dominates underwater spectra. A small 0.0895 cm² cell achieved a laboratory power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 34.71 percent, while a larger 28.79 cm² module reached 29.40 percent under simulated 10-metre light conditions. Multilayer encapsulation—using butyl rubber, cover glass, and a transparent epoxy resin—provided waterproof, pressure-resistant, and corrosion-resistant protection. In simulated seawater, the encapsulated device retained 99.58 percent of its initial PCE after 1,000 hours of continuous illumination. Projected durability calculations indicate a T80 lifetime of 48,094 hours (about 5½ years) at 25 °C under equivalent underwater lighting.
Field Tests and Energy Output
Real-world trials were conducted near Weizhou Island in the South China Sea, where the perovskite modules were mounted on an underwater robot. Over two hours of exposure, the system generated 1,416 mWh at 2 metres, 752 mWh at 6 metres, and 324 mWh at 10 metres, successfully powering an LED panel. The researchers also demonstrated charging of lithium-ion batteries at each depth, confirming the feasibility of sustained underwater power generation.
Official Statements & Responses
Team leader Wen-Hua Zhang emphasized that earlier underwater solar efforts were limited to depths of 2 metres or less, describing the new work as the first functional validation at a practical 10-metre depth. Hua Zhang added that the project marks a successful scale-up from laboratory cells to larger modules, underscoring its relevance for autonomous underwater devices.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Previous underwater solar cells focused on very shallow water depths of only 2 metres or less, far from practical applications,” — Wen-Hua Zhang, of Yunnan University in a Cell Press report
- “Moreover, we have achieved scaling from small-area laboratory cells to large-size modules,” — Hua Zhang, of Yunnan University in a Cell Press report
