Stacked perovskite solar cell tops 17% efficiency

Technology News | September 27, 2016

By Nick Flaherty

Energy Harvesting Batteries / Power Supplies

The scientists from imec in Belgium, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) in Germany developed a stacked module (3.76cm²) high that is fully scalable. Both the perovskite top module and the CIGS bottom module feature a monolithic interconnection scheme, using seven and four module cell stripes respectively. The result is a reduction of area loss of less than eight percent for both technologies.

The higher energy part of the spectrum is harvested in the semitransparent perovskite module on top, while the light with lower energy passes and is harvested in the bottom CIGS cell. As a result, the prototype shows an power conversion of 17.8%, surpassing the current record of 15.3% for a perovskite module,also developed at imec, and the 15.7% for the CIGS module of ZSW.

“This result was achieved through close and intricate collaboration leveraging the expertise of the three partners. Imec’s expertise in perovskite technology was underscored by the use of a perovskite top module in these stacked solar modules,” said Dr. Tom Aernouts, head of thin-film PV research at imec.

This result is just a starting point, with more exciting results to come in the next years such as perovskite/CIGS multi-junction solar modules surpassing efficiencies of 25%, says Dr. Ulrich Paetzold, head of the research group at KIT. ZSW holds the current world record for CIGS solar cells at 22.7%. “This success is an elegant way of combining the advantages of two highly advanced thin-film technologies. It will contribute greatly to ever more cost-efficient solar power for the customer,” said Prof. Dr. Michael Powalla, member of the board and head of the Photovoltaics Division at ZSW.

www2.imec.be

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