Photovoltaic technology has come a long way since the first modern solar cell was created in 1954. Today's dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent third-generation design, using titanium dioxide nanowires coated in organic dye to capture energy from the sun and convert it to electricity.

This approach offers several advantages over conventional silicon-based technology. DSSCs don't require the high-temperature, energy-intensify processes used to generate silicon wafers, making them…