Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found an approach that holds the potential of boosting the efficiency of photovoltaics by as much as 40 percent.

Computerworld reported that research initially published in Nature Energy said that researchers observed that the mineral perovskite with poorly formed facets had conversion efficiencies of about 31 percent. Those with sharp angles topped out at about 22 percent, the story said. Continued research leading to synthesis of the more efficient type of perovskite could lead to the gains in efficiency, according to experts quoted in the story.

Research in solar is bound to get a boost as companies such as Tesla – which is trying to acquire SolarCity – turn their attention to the sector.