This Maker Constructs DIY Solar Panels as Functional Art Pieces

Solar panel efficiency and manufacturing costs have improved tremendously over the past couple of decades, to the point where solar energy is now often cheaper than fossil fuel energy. As such, solar panels are now commonplace and lack the exciting feel of new technology that they once had. But that’s only because we’re used to seeing the same old polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels — drab grids of dark squares. Shih Wei-Chieh builds things differently, constructing DIY solar panels as functional art pieces.

All photovoltaic solar panels work in the same way, by relying on the energy from light to excite electrons and create electric potential. But the materials and techniques used to harness that photovoltaic effect vary. According to a 2024 report published by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, 97% of the photovoltaic cells produced in 2023 made use of Si-wafer technology (monocrystalline and, to a much lesser extent, polycrystalline).

It takes a lot of sophisticated equipment and processes to manufacture solar panels that rely on Si-wafer technology. Humble makers couldn’t hope to replicate that on a DIY scale. But other photovoltaic technologies do exist.

Shih Wei-Chieh makes panels with DSSCs (Dye-Sensitive Solar Cells). DSSC technology is quite inefficient and it isn’t a notable contributor to worldwide solar energy production at this time, but it is affordable. A major reason for the low cost is the relatively simple manufacturing process, which is also why Shih Wei-Chieh is able to make his own solar panels using DSSC technology.

A typical DSSC solar cell has a layered sandwich-style construction. The outer layers are glass, to contain the inner layers and provide protection, while also allowing light to pass through. Then there is an anode layer on one side and a cathode layer on the other side. The anode is usually titanium dioxide and the cathode is a platinum catalyst. The middle layer, in between the anode and cathode, is an electrolyte solution.

To improve the absorption of light, the titanium dioxide receives a dye and that is where the “dye-sensitive” part of the name comes from. In an effort to maximize efficiency, that dye is selected by color and longevity. But if efficiency isn’t the sole priority, one can use other dyes and that is key to Shih Wei-Chieh’s artistic endeavors.

Shih Wei-Chieh’s manufacturing process is intimidating, but achievable in a well-equipped maker’s shop. The two most important tools for the job are a kiln and a screen-printing machine. Using those, Shih Wei-Chieh is able to build up the anode and cathode layers on the glass, in a process of several cycles of coating and baking.

The biggest challenge is putting the two sheets together, with a gap between for injecting the liquid electrolyte solution, and sealing them. Shih Wei-Chieh says he hasn’t yet perfected that process, but he is able to make functional panels.

Shih Wei-Chieh’s dyeing process is what makes his solar panels particularly interesting.

First, there is the dye itself. Shih Wei-Chieh uses plant-based dyes, can be made or sourced from sustainable producers. Those dyes don’t perform as well as the conventional choices, but maximizing efficiency isn’t the goal here. Some care is necessary to select dyes that pair well with the titanium dioxide, but there is room for color variation.

Which leads to the really cool part: it is possible for Shih Wei-Chieh to create designs with the dye. Remember, those layers are applied with screen printing techniques, which allow for patterns and even illustrations. That isn’t quite as simple as putting a design onto a t-shirt, but the potential is there.

From a purely utilitarian point of view, this isn’t very practical. Shih Wei-Chieh has only been able to achieve energy production of 2.051mW/cm² of panel and that was on his smallest panel — larger panels are less efficient, due to the resistance of the FTO (Fluoride-doped Tin Oxide) conductive glass. And the dye has a limited lifespan, as sun bleaching reduces its efficacy over time.

But we aren’t utilitarian animals and we don’t live in a world that prioritizes efficiency above all else. There is a lot of room for artistic expression within the confines of functional technology, and that’s what Shih Wei-Chieh’s work is all about.

Imagine, for instance, a quaint neighborhood café situated on the first floor of a multi-story building. It doesn’t have a roof on which to place solar panels and the owner certainly doesn’t want ugly monocrystalline solar panels covering the front windows. But semi-translucent DSSC solar panels in pleasing colors and incorporating beautiful patterns? That could be a different story.

However, Shih Wei-Chieh doesn’t have any intention of producing DSSC panels for such purposes at this time. His focus is on the joy of making and on the art of creation. He recently showcased his work through an exhibit at FabCafe Tokyo and plans to continue improving on the techniques described here.

Shih Wei-Chieh even envisions the data from DSSC panels (specifically the current-voltage curve) being used to generate hash values for smart contracts, as part of a novel effort to produce more secure blockchain systems through the use of encryption derived from physical hardware. That will require an I-V tester, which Shih Wei-Chieh is working to develop with his friend, Marc Dusseiller.

In the meantime, Shih Wei-Chieh is attending a PhD program at Taiwan’s Yang Ming Ciao Tung University. If you’d like to keep up with his projects, you can follow him @weiweiweiwear on Instagram and YouTube. You can also visit his personal website at shihweichieh.com.