École Polytechnique federal de Lausanne (EPFL) and CSEM in Switzerland researchers have broken the efficiency record for tandem silicon-perovskite solar cells, surpassing the 30% mark. The new record pushes the technology beyond the limits of silicon by utilizing low-cost and scalable materials. 

Figure 1. Tandem silicon-perovskite solar cells.

Figure 1 shows that The EPFL PV-lab team led this research in collaboration with scientists at CSEM. It has been supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the European Commission, the Services Industrials de Genève, and the ETH domain’s Advanced Manufacturing Initiative. [1]

They achieved an efficiency of 30.93% for a 1 cm2 solar cell based on high-quality perovskite layers from solution on a planarized silicon surface and an efficiency of 31.25% on a cell of the same size and fabricated with a hybrid vapor/solution processing technique compatible with a textured silicon surface.

“These results constitute two new world records: one for the planar and one for the textured device architecture,” they specified, noting that both efficiencies were certified by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “The latter approach provides a higher current and is compatible with the structure of current industrial silicon solar cells.” [2] 

Researchers at EPFL and CSEM have developed tandem silicon-perovskite solar cells with high efficiencies using two different designs.

The first consists of perovskite layers deposited from a liquid solution onto a smooth silicon surface, which reached an efficiency of 30.93 percent for a test cell measuring 1 cm2 (0.2 in2). The second used a hybrid vapor and liquid solution technique to deposit perovskite onto a textured silicon surface, which was able to reach an efficiency of 31.25 percent for a 1 cm2 solar cell.

The researchers say that further work will be needed to investigate how well the designs can be scaled up to larger surface areas, and check their longevity.

“Tandem perovskite-on-silicon technologies have been said to have the potential to exceed the 30-percent efficiency benchmark, but this is the first time this long-predicted potential has been demonstrated, which should hopefully pave the way for even cheaper sustainable electricity in the future,” said Christian Wolff, lead researcher on the EPFL team. [3]

References:

1. https://www.techgenyz.com/2022/07/08/switzerland-researchers-build-perovskite-silicon-solar-cells-that-break-30-percent-efficiency-barrier/
2. 2.https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/07/07/csem-epfl-achieve-31-25-efficiency-for-tandem-perovskite-silicon-solar-cell/
3. https://newatlas.com/energy/perovskite-silicon-solar-cells-30-percent-efficiency-record/

Cite this article:

Sri Vasagi K (2022), New Perovskite – Silicon Solar Cells with 30% Efficiency, AnaTechMaz, pp.131