AuREUS

You’re absolutely right—Carvey Ehren Maigue did indeed win the inaugural Sustainability Award at the James Dyson Award in 2020 for his innovative solar invention. His creation, called the AuREUS System Technology (short for Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration), is a groundbreaking approach to generating renewable energy, and it’s pretty fascinating how it works.

What is the AuREUS System Technology?

AuREUS is a material designed to harvest ultraviolet (UV) light and convert it into electricity, even in less-than-ideal conditions like cloudy weather. Unlike traditional solar panels, which rely on direct sunlight and visible light to function optimally, Maigue’s invention taps into UV rays—those invisible parts of the solar spectrum that can pass through clouds and bounce off surfaces like pavements or buildings. This makes it far more versatile and efficient in urban settings or regions with variable weather.

The material itself is made from upcycled agricultural waste—specifically, luminescent particles extracted from discarded fruits and vegetables. Maigue developed a process where he crushes these crops, extracts their juices, and filters out naturally occurring bioluminescent particles. These particles are then suspended in a resin, which is molded into flexible panels or cladding. The panels can be attached to existing structures like windows, walls, or even curved surfaces, turning them into energy-generating surfaces without needing vast open spaces like traditional solar farms.

How Does It Work?

The science behind AuREUS is inspired by the auroras (like the Northern Lights), where high-energy particles are transformed into visible light. Here’s the breakdown:

1. UV Absorption: The luminescent particles in the material absorb UV light, causing them to glow.
2. Light Conversion: As these particles “rest,” they release excess energy as visible light. This light is guided to the edges of the panels through internal reflectance (a bit like how fiber optics work), controlled by specific laser-etched patterns.
3. Electricity Generation: At the edges, regular photovoltaic (PV) cells—similar to those in standard solar panels—capture this visible light and convert it into electricity. The system can either store this energy or use it immediately, and it’s compatible with existing solar setups.

Preliminary testing suggests AuREUS can generate electricity around 48% of the time, compared to traditional solar panels, which manage 15-22% due to their dependence on clear, direct sunlight. This leap in efficiency comes from its ability to work with scattered UV light, making it a game-changer for places with frequent cloud cover or limited rooftop space.

Why It’s Sustainable

Beyond its energy-generating capabilities, AuREUS tackles another problem: agricultural waste. In the Philippines, where Maigue is from, climate change-driven weather events like typhoons often leave farmers with spoiled crops—millions of hectares’ worth between 2006 and 2013 alone, valued at billions of dollars. By repurposing this waste, Maigue not only creates a renewable energy source but also provides farmers a way to monetize what would otherwise rot in the fields. It’s a closed-loop system that supports both environmental and economic sustainability.

The Bigger Vision

Maigue’s invention isn’t just about windows or walls. He’s explored expanding it into threads for fabrics (imagine clothes that generate power) and curved plates for vehicles like cars, planes, or boats. His goal is to make solar energy harvesting more accessible, much like how computers went from bulky military machines to everyday smartphones. Winning the James Dyson Award gave him a £30,000 prize (about $40,000 USD at the time), which he planned to use for further research, development, and even finishing his degree at Mapua University.

Why It Matters

James Dyson himself praised AuREUS for its ingenuity, noting its potential to create clean energy on existing structures without gobbling up farmland—a personal concern of his as a farmer. Maigue’s persistence paid off too; he’d entered the Dyson competition in 2018 with an earlier version but didn’t win. Two years of refinement later, he cracked it with this waste-based approach.

So, Carvey Ehren Maigue’s AuREUS isn’t just a solar panel—it’s a rethink of how we can harness energy, reuse waste, and adapt to a changing climate, all while keeping it practical and scalable. Pretty cool, right? What do you think about its potential?