Solliance

Researchers from the Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology, TNO, TNO/Holst Centre and Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) have designed a monolithic perovskite-PERC tandem solar cell that utilizes a new type of tunnel recombination junction (TRJ) based on indium tin oxide (ITO), nickel(II) oxide (NiO), and carbazole (2PACz).

The scientists explained that TRJs are usually based on ITO and 2PACz alone, and that the addition of the NiO layer is intended to reduce electrical shunts in the perovskite top cell, due to the inhomogeneity of the 2PACz layer on ITO.

Researchers from Solliance partners Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology and TNO have developed a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell using a new approach to interface engineering. 

The team's findings demonstrate the potential of using (n)nc-SiOx:H and (n)nc-Si:H interfacial layers in tandem solar cells to minimize reflection losses at the interfaces between the perovskite and silicon sub-cells, as explained by the scientists. Through optimizing interference effects, these light management techniques can be applied to various tandem structures.

The Netherlands' province of North Brabant, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and TNO – partner in Solliance – have signed a cooperation agreement for perovskite solar cells and integrated solar energy products. 

At the Brainport Industry Campus (BIC) in Eindhoven, TNO is working on flexible solar energy laminates that can then be processed into components for buildings, infrastructure and vehicles. The research line was devised by TNO and built by partners from the business community – including MAAN and Duflex – with financial support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. The line of research will also play a major role in the European project MC2.0, which will start in January 2023 under the leadership of TNO and for which 20 partners from different countries will provide input. In parallel, the research program on industrialize production of perovskites, is running. The goal is to bring both studies together in mass customization based on perovskite.

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, Delft University of Technology and TNO (partner in Solliance) have designed an integrated solar-assisted water-splitting system with a flow electrochemical cell and a monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell.

The team's work demonstrates how a perovskite/silicon tandem cell can be combined with a water electrolyzer system. However, the team said that there are still many steps that need to be taken before commercialization is possible. For example: upscaling the technology, addressing stability in greater detail, and use of more earth-abundant catalysts in the water-splitting reaction.

Solliance partners TNO, TU Eindhoven, imec and TU Delft have joined forces to further push the conversion efficiency of tandem solar cells to beyond the limits of today’s commercial PV modules. They have achieved an extraordinary feat: the first time that four-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem devices with certified top cell passed the barrier of 30%.

Bottom silicon solar cell and top perovskite solar cell with transparent contacts. Photo credit: Niels van Loon

Such high efficiency enables more power per square meters and less cost per kWh. The result was presented during the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC-8) in Milan and has been achieved by combining perovskite solar cell tech with conventional silicon solar cell technologies. The perovskite cell that features transparent contacts and is part of the tandem stack has been independently certified.

Researchers from TNO at Holst Centre, Solliance and TU/e have jointly developed a thin and flexible perovskite-based scanner for fingerprints.

Low-resolution image-sensor arrays have been demonstrated in the past, but the high-resolution, high pixel-count image sensors suitable for commercial applications have not yet been truly achieved. The thin and flexible scanner in this new work is based on metal-halide perovskites (MHPs). Gerwin Gelinck, Chief Technology Officer TNO at Holst Centre, elaborates on the new study: 'Perovskites are marvelous materials! For the first time we show that these materials are also very good for light imaging and sensing applications. When combined with display-like transistors, we made a scanner that can capture high-resolution color images as well as biometric fingerprinting'.

Solliance recently announced that a collaboration with the M2N group of Rene Janssen at University of Technology Eindhoven has resulted in two world-records for 4T perovskite tandems.

The partners reported that they further optimized the wide-bandgap (1.69eV) perovskite cells with high near-infrared transparency for 4T tandem applications. The perovskite cell has reached a stabilized efficiency of 17.8% during 5-min maximum-power-point tracking. In combination with the Panasonic silicon bottom cell, a new world-record 4T perovskite/Si tandem efficiency of 29.2% was realized.

Solliance partners TNO, imec/EnergyVille and the Eindhoven University of Technology, have reported a 18.6% efficient highly near infrared transparent perovskite solar cell. When combined in a four terminal tandem configuration with an efficient Panasonic crystalline silicon (c-Si) cell or with a Miasolé flexible CIGS cell, the configuration delivered new record power conversion efficiencies of 28.7% and 27.0%, respectively.

The researchers explained that four terminal tandems allow to build on experience and practices already available in the industry. In addition, four terminal perovskite/c-Si tandems can be applied broadly and are, for example, very beneficial in combination with bifacial c-Si solar cells which, depending on the actual albedo, can readily achieve a total power generation density as high as 320 W/m².

Solliance and U.S-based MiaSolé announced a new record - power conversion efficiency of 26.5% on a tandem solar cell that combined a top rigid semi-transparent perovskite solar cell with a bottom flexible copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) cell.

This impressive efficiency was achieved by optimizing the bandgap and the efficiency of both the rigid semi-transparent perovskite top cell and the flexible CIGS bottom cell. The CIGS was roll to roll produced on steel foil, with a power conversion efficiency of 20.0%.

Scientists from Hasselt University, imec, VITO, EnergyVille and international partners within the PERCISTAND consortium have announced that they achieved an energy efficiency of 25% with a thin-film solar cell.

Bart Vermang, coordinator within the PERCISTAND consortium, describes the development of thin-film solar cells as 'Pioneering'. The consortium, which partly consists of the collaborations within EnergyVille and Solliance, has succeeded in achieving a record energy efficiency with thin film solar cells. 'We've achieved an energy efficiency of 25 percent for the first time, which is just as much energy as a traditional solar cell can generate on a day-to-day basis. And we haven't yet reached the upper limit of our thin-film solar cells.'