Perovskite Solar - Page 15

Researchers from China's Nankai University and Linköping University in Sweden have attempted to design a perovskite solar cell with the help of ChatGPT. The experiment helped the team to identify a series of materials for the cell composition and the results were cells with a higher power conversion efficiency compared to that of reference cells built without the material proposed by ChatGPT.

The scientists explored ChatGPT's ability to generate hypotheses for material science and identify untested molecules capable of reducing surface recombination and thereby boosting the efficiency of perovskite solar cells.

Sunmaxx PVT, a German developer and manufacturer of photovoltaic-thermal solar modules, and Oxford PV, a producer of high-efficiency tandem solar cells, announced the launch of the “Solar Hammer" module. This partnership marks the first use of perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells in a photovoltaic thermal module, enabling a very high conversion efficiency. Both the cells and the modules are produced in Germany.

Sunmaxx PVT’s modules combine proven thermal management technology from the automotive industry with photovoltaics, leading to a total conversion efficiency of 80%, certified by Fraunhofer ISE. Oxford PV’s perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells have broken multiple records for conversion efficiency. In combination, these technologies enable more usable electricity and heat to be generated from the sun’s energy. The new module comes at a record efficiency of 26.6% electrical and 53.4% thermal efficiency, totaling 80% overall efficiency on aperture area level of 1.63 m². The electrical power of the module with 6×10 M6 cells is 433 W, surpassing the previous record of Fraunhofer ISE.

An assistant professor at Arizona State University named Nick Rolston has received a 2024 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to develop standards for perovskite solar panel reliability and longevity.

As silicon solar panels have been around for decades, standards to build high-quality panels are well established after years of research and testing. However, there are no such tests or standards for perovskite panels. As a family of materials with different properties than silicon, perovskites exhibit much different behavior. Many designs developed to date degrade quickly, dropping to 80% of their original efficiency — the standard for replacement — after a year or less.

LONGi Green Energy Technology has announced a new world record efficiency of 30.1% for a commercial M6 size wafer-level silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell at the 2024 Intersolar Europe event in Germany. This new record comes less than a week after LONGi announced a new world record of 34.6% tandem solar cell efficiency at the 2024 SNEC EXPO in Shanghai, and it also breaks the previous world record of 28.6% wafer-level tandem solar cell efficiency on M4 commercial size wafers in May 2023.

The commercial M6 size wafer-level silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell was independently certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (Fraunhofer ISE) in Germany.

Oxford PV has announced a record-setting 26.9% efficiency for its double-glass, 60-cell “residential sized” perovskite tandem module at the Intersolar Europe 2024 event. The module reportedly has a surface area of a little over 1.6 m square meters (1m x 1.7m) and weighs a little under 25 kg, “the ideal size for residential applications,” according to Oxford PV.

Oxford PV produces the proprietary high efficiency tandem solar cells at its manufacturing facility in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, and uses both in-house and contract services for the module assembly.

Canon has announced that it has developed a high-performance material which is expected to improve the durability and mass-production stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The Company aims to initiate mass production in 2025.

Canon stated that several issues are currently standing in the way of PSC commercialization. For one, the crystal structure of the perovskite layer (photoelectric conversion layer) is susceptible to the effects of water, heat, oxygen, etc. in the atmosphere, which results in low durability. Furthermore, it is difficult to achieve stable mass production when manufacturing perovskite solar cells with a large surface area. It has been recognized that a structure covering the perovskite layer is needed to solve these problems. Therefore, Canon developed a special functional material to coat the perovskite layer by applying the material technology it cultivated through the development of photosensitive members, a key component of multifunction office devices and laser printers.

It was reported that China’s UtmoLight showcased its first full perovskite PV module at the recent SNEC PV event in Shanghai, underscoring the technology’s ongoing shift toward commercialization. The Module UL-M12-G1 measures 1,200 mm x 600 mm and is available in four power classes, ranging from 110 W to 130 W.

UtmoLight's President was quoted saying that the first target for the new perovskite modules will be building-integrated PV (BIPV) applications. Unlike crystalline modules, the translucent perovskite panels can be tinted in any color. UtmoLight offers modules strung into a single sheet of glass measuring 2.4 meters by 1.2 meters for building integration.

Energy America, an American solar module manufacturer, has announced a new partnership with a German manufacturing and R&D station to incorporate perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology into their product line. This move is expected to significantly increase the power and efficiency of Energy America's solar cells, while also promoting sustainable energy solutions.

By partnering with a German manufacturer and R&D station, Energy America is taking a step towards incorporating this cutting-edge technology into their product line. While the manufacturing and research for the perovskite solar cells will be done in Germany, Energy America has made it clear that all module design will be performed in America. 

Researchers at Rice University, along with researchers from several institutions in the U.S. and abroad, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; University of California, San Diego; University of Lille, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Centrale Lille Institut; University of Artois; Northwestern University; Purdue University; University of Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON; Brookhaven National Laboratory; University of Washington; and Northwestern University, have described a way to synthesize formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI₃) ⎯ the type of crystal currently used to make the highest-efficiency perovskite solar cells ⎯ into ultrastable, high-quality photovoltaic films. The overall efficiency of the resulting FAPbI₃ solar cells decreased by less than 3% over more than 1,000 hours of operation at temperatures of 85 degrees Celsius (185 Fahrenheit).

“Right now, we think that this is state of the art in terms of stability,” said Rice engineer Aditya Mohite, whose lab has achieved various improvements in perovskites’ durability and performance over the past several years. “Perovskite solar cells have the potential to revolutionize energy production, but achieving long-duration stability has been a significant challenge.”

Researchers in China, led by Nanjing University, have designed a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell with a top perovskite device based on an absorber treated with n-butanol (nBA), which reportedly reduces the detrimental effects of moisture in manufacturing processes carried out in air environment. The resulting PV device is said to have improved charge collection.

The nBA used by the team is a clear, colorless alcohol used as a cleaning agent in many industries, including electronics manufacturing. The team explained that it offers low polarity and saturation vapor pressure and ensures that the typical detrimental effects of moisture in perovskite cell fabrication in an ambient environment can be significantly reduced.