Australian scientists hit 30.3% efficiency with tandem perovskite-silicon PV cell

From pv magazine Australia

In 2021, Australia set the “Solar 30 30 30” target to reach 30% module efficiency and AUD 0.30 ($0.21)/W at the utility scale by 2030. Now, researchers from ANU in Canberra have revealed that they have reached the first “30” by achieving a 30.3% efficiency.

The perovskite and silicon tandem solar cell have ultra-high efficiency, while also enhancing the operational stability of the solar cells, said the team. Their work builds on a previous record set by ANU researchers in 2020, and was funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), which committed AUD 40 million to achieve the Solar 30 30 30 stretch goal.

Researcher The Duong said the team relied on the strengths of widely used silicon cells and perovskite cells, which are made of materials with a specific crystal structure revered for efficiency, but notoriously unstable.

“With these tandem solar cells, the perovskite top cell can efficiently absorb the blue light and transmit the red light to the silicon bottom cell, producing significantly more energy from sunlight than each individual device,” Duong said.

Alone, the highest recorded efficiency for silicon cells is currently 26.81% in lab circumstances, but for commercially available modules it sits closer to 20%.

“Surpassing the 30% mark is significant,” said Duong. “That’s currently considered the efficiency threshold for the commercialisation of tandem technology like that used in our study. The current predictions are that tandem solar technology will be in mass production by 2026. However, more work is still needed to upscale and ensure the technology can be stable in the field over 25 to 30 years.”

The ANU team is now working to improve the efficiency and stability of the solar cells. They have published their findings in Advanced Energy Materials.