Efficiency Record Broken for Solar Cells

A solar cell made of silicon and perovskite has set a world record with an efficiency of 32.5 percent. The development was reported by the press service of the Hemholtz Center for Materials and Energy in Berlin.

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Efficiency in Solar Cells is Increasing!

The certification institute European Solar Test Installation (ESTI) in Italy has confirmed a record efficiency for a tandem solar cell. The device, which has a silicon bottom element and a perovskite top element, converts 32.5 percent of the incoming solar radiation into electrical energy.

Researchers at the Hemholtz Center for Materials and Energy in Berlin have used an advanced perovskite formulation with an intelligent interface modification. It reduces the recombination loss of charge carriers. The scientists carried out a detailed analysis to understand the specific properties of the interface modification. These developments were then successfully applied in tandem solar cells.

The authors note that the new interface and optical modifications make it possible to achieve the highest photovoltages (open circuit voltage), leading to a new efficiency record for tandem technology. The researchers note that the active development of solar panel technology based on these two elements is evidenced by one record after another. However, by the end of 2021, German scientists managed to achieve an efficiency of 29.8 percent. In the summer of this year, researchers from Switzerland exceeded 30 percent for the first time, again setting a new record six months later.