A groundbreaking invention by a Filipino electrical engineering student is set to revolutionize renewable energy. Carvey Ehren Maigue of Mapúa University has developed a material, called AuREUS (Aurora Renewable Energy UV Sequestration), that can turn fruit and vegetable waste into solar panels capable of generating electricity from Ultraviolet (UV) light, even on cloudy days or when not facing the sun.

The innovative system, which won the inaugural James Dyson Sustainability Award in 2020, is a paradigm shift in solar technology.

Inspired by the science behind the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), Maigue’s technology utilizes organic luminescent particles extracted from discarded crops.

1. Extraction: Maigue extracts naturally occurring luminescent compounds from selected fruits and vegetables. This upcycled approach tackles agricultural waste, particularly crops damaged by weather events.
2. Absorption: These particles are embedded in a flexible resin substrate that can be molded into various shapes, such as tinted, translucent panels suitable for windows and building facades.
3. Conversion: When UV light hits the material—even stray UV light bouncing off walls or penetrating clouds—the particles absorb the high-energy light and re-emit it as visible light along the edges of the panel.
4. Generation: Conventional photovoltaic (PV) cells placed around the edges capture this concentrated visible light and convert it into DC electricity.

This method allows AuREUS to generate energy up to 50% of the time, a significant increase over the 15-22% efficiency of traditional solar panels that primarily rely on direct visible light. Maigue envisions buildings entirely covered in the colorful material, effectively turning them into massive, vertical solar farms.

Beyond its energy potential, the AuREUS system offers a crucial solution to food waste in the Philippines, an agricultural nation frequently hit by typhoons. By utilizing crops damaged by natural disasters, the invention provides an additional revenue stream for local farmers and creates a full-circle approach to sustainability.

Maigue’s prototype demonstrated the ability to charge two phones per day and is currently being further developed for larger-scale applications. The invention underscores the power of sustainable design to solve multiple global challenges simultaneously.