Rayleigh Solar Tech

Don't miss out on Carbon Club registration!

As Rayleigh begins to scale up production, it’s important to visit the types of places our next generation perovskite solar panels could be put into action. Yesterday, several members of the team were welcomed to the Berwick Community Solar Garden in Nova Scotia’s beautiful Annapolis Valley. We were treated to a comprehensive tour of the site by Electrical Inspector Brad Pineo. The Solar Garden allows Berwick's residents to have some of their electricity needs met with the renewable energy. This installation eliminates the need for customers to install solar panels on their own properties. This makes renewable energy available to homeowners and renters living in any type of building. Visiting sites like the Community Solar Garden helps us better understand the environments where our perovskite solar panels could be installed, and the electrical systems they will be a part of.

Eight co-op students from Dalhousie university joined us in early May and will be with us until August. They are now settled into their positions and are working away on various projects throughout the company. Many of the students in this co-op cohort are returning to Rayleigh for a second work term. We asked a couple of them about their experience at Rayleigh so far. “I like working at Rayleigh because of its collaborative and engaging atmosphere and because they are developing innovative solar technology. Some of the tasks I work on as a mechanical engineering intern are optimization studies and 3D printing. While working here, I have learned how to effectively use CAD and print a multitude of materials in 3D. The team at Rayleigh is extremely helpful and I love working with them!” – Jade Macdonald, Mechanical Engineering Intern. "At Rayleigh I've been given an amazing opportunity to do meaningful work, developing the capabilities and workflow of the laser team. Rayleigh has been a very inviting experience, allowing me to express myself fully, and participate in the work culture. With the highly educated staff I have learned so much in the short time span, and have made strong connections that will extend past my work term" – Benjamin Harding, Optical Engineering Intern. We’re lucky to work with so many wonderful students each semester. We're very proud to be able to provide our students with hands-on experience in their fields. Welcome, Jack and Sam! Welcome back, Eduard, Benjamin, Spencer, Jade, Anna, and Gregory!

Last week we had the pleasure of participating in the ALS Society of New Brunswick & Nova Scotia's CEO/Leadership Soak to kick off the 10 year anniversary of the Ice Bucket Challenge! CEO Paul Pynn, CSO Irina Valitova, PhD, and CTO Sam March all joined in the challenge and waded into the icy cold water at Crystal Crescent Provincial Park to dump a bucket of seawater over their heads. Sam and Paul got extra brave and jumped in the water right after the challenge was complete. Please consider participating in the ice bucket challenge and making a donation to your local ALS society. Together we can help support research that will make ALS treatable instead of terminal, and also help make life more comfortable for those who are already living with the disease.

The Rayleigh offices were quiet this past Monday as many members of the team took the day off to view the solar eclipse. Halifax only experienced a 94.5% eclipse, so many people travelled to the neighbouring provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to observe the eclipse from the path of totality. The weather co-operated and we were treated to clear skies and a great view of this once in a lifetime event. The team snapped photos from their various viewpoints in Fredricton, Summerside, Bouctouche, Rogersville, and Kouchibouguac National Park. We hope everyone had a safe and exciting time viewing the eclipse as it passed over North America!

Back in November, our electrical engineering team installed our brand new custom-made outdoor testing setup. This setup was designed and built completely in-house and can hold up to 16 samples of varying sizes. It allows us to assess the performance and stability of our solar modules compared to silicon in real-world conditions. The samples being tested are subjected to direct sunlight and shading, plus all the rain, wind, snow, and cold that a Canadian winter can throw at them. The testing data generated by this setup can be extracted wirelessly. This saved our testing team from having to trudge through the more than 180cm of snowfall that Halifax has seen since January. The team planned ahead as they were designing this setup. The system is easily customizable as our needs change in the future. Testing capacity can be expanded, and the system’s electronics can be changed out as needed. Raha Khosravi Seamus MacInnes Gregory Bowes Anna Yaung Minsu Kim

Happy International Women’s Day! This year’s theme is “Inspiring Inclusion”. Today we celebrate women’s achievements and the progress made toward gender equality, while also recognizing that there is still work left to be done. We also recognize that to truly achieve equality, we must work to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes so that all women are able to share their unique prospective. At Rayleigh, we’re proud to have twelve incredible women on our team. They are full-time employees, co-op students, and visiting researchers. This diverse group of women comes from eight countries across five continents. Together they hold a total of 23 degrees. They work at all levels and areas of the business including research and development, manufacturing, and administration. Each of them plays a unique role in Rayleigh's success. From left to right: Mya Soukaseum, Michelle Pellerin, Laura Moore, Marine Cuisinier Kiera Chang, Salma Zouhair, PhD, Samantha Johnson, Irina Valitova, PhD, Luiza Corrêa, and Raha Khosravi. Charlotte Clegg and Stephanie Howe were unable to join us for the photo. 

Don't miss this new paper that dives into the world of carbon perovskite solar cells! Congratulations Salma, Charlotte, Irina, Sam, Javith, and Vincenzo!

Earlier this month, we welcomed seven co-op students from Dalhousie University. They are studying engineering, computer science, and business administration, and will be here until the end of April. They are already hard at work on a variety of engineering, programming, and accounting projects! Welcome!

After a busy year full of innovation and growth, the Rayleigh team is taking a short break to enjoy the holidays. We'll be back in January to continue developing the next generation of solar technology. Have a safe and happy holiday season! #holidayseason #perovskite #solarenergy