The dynamic duo of silicon and perovskite continue their rampage through the solar cell industry. Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell with a record-breaking efficiency.
Most commercial solar cells have traditionally been made with silicon as the active ingredient. But unfortunately, these solar cells are starting to bump up against the physical limits of silicon’s efficiency (roughly a rather lacklustre 20 percent efficiency), so there isn’t much more room left for improvement without radically changing the recipe.
Enter perovskite. This crystalline material has quickly shot up the ranks from under 4 percent efficiency in 2009 to over 25 percent by 2021 to rival silicon, and it’s not done yet. When the two materials are forced to work together, they achieve even better results, with efficiencies recently reaching well over 30 percent.
Of course, every percentage gain has huge, positive benefits when extrapolated throughout the world.
And now, a new record has been set. Engineers at KAUST have developed a silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell with an efficiency of 33.2 percent, which is the highest efficiency of any kind of two-junction solar cell. The record has been independently certified by the European Solar Test Installation and added to the Best Research-cell Efficiency Chart managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
These broken records are coming thick and fast lately – just two years ago efficiency was yet to crack the 30 percent barrier.
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