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Abstract: The lifetime of electrons in the semiconductor electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is an important parameter determining the energy conversion efficiency. We propose a method to determine the electron lifetime by stepped current induced measurement of cell voltage in the dark (darkSCIM). Since this technique does not require the creation of photoinduced charges, the lifetime of devices with poorly injecting dyes, or indeed values for devices, which employ no sensitizer, can be determined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]