Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have set a new energy conversion efficiency record in solar cells made of perovskite and other organic materials, reaching a rate of 23.6% and approaching that of conventional silicon panels.
Currently, solar cells made of silicon have a conversion rate — the percentage of incoming sunlight energy that is actually converted into electrical current — of 26.7%, making it the dominant technology in today’s photovoltaic energy market.
“Clean and renewable energy systems are extremely important for carbon reduction. The high energy conversion efficiency of solar cells is critical for generating more electricity in limited areas and this, in turn, reduces the total cost of production,” explains chemical engineering professor Hou Yi, lead author of the study.
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New efficiency record
Conventional solar cells, currently used to generate clean electricity, are based on a single junction architecture that has a conversion rate limited to a maximum of 27%. To surpass this mark, it is necessary to increase the overall performance of photovoltaic panels.
According to the researchers, to increase this energy conversion efficiency of solar cells, batteries with two or more absorbent layers are needed. These multijunction cells are usually manufactured using two different types of photovoltaic materials, ensuring a superior utilization rate.
“Our work paves the way for the production of cells made from perovskite and thinner, lighter, and more bendable organic materials, which can be leveraged by industry to make next-generation wearable electronics,” adds biomolecular engineer Chen Wei, co-author of the study. .
tandem solar cells
Instead of using a single absorbent layer formed by silicon or perovskite, the researchers found a way to manufacture a dual device, connecting the two layers in series (in tandem) to take advantage of a wider and more efficient range of the solar spectrum.
By developing an interconnection structure capable of reducing voltage, optical and electrical losses within the solar cell, the scientists not only achieved a superior conversion rate, but also proved that tandem devices remain at an efficiency rate of 90% after more than 500 hours under continuous sunlight.
“Our study shows the great potential of perovskite-based tandem solar cells for the future commercial application of photovoltaic technology. Based on our new discovery, we hope to further improve the performance of these solar panels, making it possible to manufacture them on an industrial scale.” Professor Hou Yi.
