(RALEIGH) -- News technology from North Carolina State University could be a significant leap forward for solar energy production. A new invention has significant potential to improve the efficiency of solar cells and other technologies that derive energy from light.

Dr. Ahmed El-Shafei’s research group invented a new “sensitizer,” or dye, that harvests more ambient and solar light than any dyes currently on the market for use in dye-sensitized solar cells.

“A third-party solar energy company compared our new dye, NCSU-10, against the state-of-the-art dye on the market," said El-Shafei, an assistant professor in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science department. "Our dye had 14 percent more power density. In other words, NCSU-10 allows us to harvest more energy from the same amount of light.”

A patent is pending on the new dye, and NC State University is in communication with potential industry partners about licensing use of NCSU-10. The university is also seeking funding for additional research in this area.