New 'tandem' solar cell sets highest record of power conversion in the world
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Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a novel solar cell with the potential to significantly improve the energy efficiency of renewable sources.
The 'tandem' solar cells were developed combining silicon and perovskite sub-cells, making them highly efficient and potentially superior to widely used crystalline solar cells. At the moment, crystalline silicon is the most commonly used material in photovoltaic technology to produce solar cells. They provide module efficiency of around 20-22 percent.
Development of tandem solar cells
The two-sided tandem solar cell has perovskite cells on top and textured silicon on the bottom. When these materials are integrated, they substantially improve the capture and conversion of sunlight into electricity.
The solar cell showcased a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 33.2 percent. This is the highest tandem solar efficiency ever recorded in the world. Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) previously held the record for creating PCE at 32.5 percent.
“This new record is the highest PCE of any two-junction solar cell under non-concentrated light, attesting the tremendous promise of perovskite/silicon tandems to deliver ultra-high performance photovoltaic modules, which is critical to rapidly achieve renewable energy goals towards combatting climate change,” said Dr. Stefaan De Wolf, who led this development, in a press release.
According to the official statement, the European Solar Test Installation (ESTI) has certified the newly built device. The tandem cells were developed at the KAUST Solar Center's Photovoltaics Laboratory (KPV-Lab).
The idea for these high-efficiency tandem solar cells was conceived in 2016 by the lab, and ever since, they have been testing various new materials, methods, and structures to create these solar cells.
The device is expected to dominate the solar technology market in the coming years. According to the release, predictions estimate that tandem perovskite/silicon technologies will account for a whopping $10 billion of the photovoltaic market share on a global scale in the coming decade (by 2032).
Improving the efficiency of solar energy is an urgent need. With global warming on the rise, it is critical to implement clean energy solutions and limit carbon emissions from the fossil fuel industries. This game-changing innovation has the potential to be a win-win situation to scale up for green energy technology as well as to meet renewable energy goals worldwide.
Following the development of this prototype, the team is working on methods to scale this technology and enable industrial production.
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