Technology and R&D

Gathering of leading solar researchers and industry representatives at the Sophia research infrastructure symposium stokes passionate debate about future of European PV.

Researchers at California’s Stanford University have developed what they claim to be a new technique for the production of perovskite tandem cells, in combination with either a c-Si or CIGS semiconductor layer. In a key development, the researchers have used an innovative method to apply a transparent electrode to the cell without damaging the fragile perovskite active layer.

Researchers at California’s Stanford University have developed what they claim to be a new technique for the production of perovskite tandem cells, in combination with either a c-Si or CIGS semiconductor layer. In a key development, the researchers have used an innovative method to apply a transparent electrode to the cell without damaging the fragile perovskite active layer.

The micro and nanoelectronics research center says the new developments, resulting in additional improvement in conversion efficiency, further confirm the potential of n-type PERT cells for next-generation highly efficient silicon solar cells.

Finnish researchers have concluded that a 100% renewable energy system is feasible in China, Korea and Japan. They conclude that within 10 years solar and wind will be the cheapest sources of electricity in Northeast Asia.

The future of PV will lie in incremental changes to drive up conversion efficiencies, according to Arno Stassen, the head of business opportunity development at Heraeus. And in good news, continues the technologist from the metal paste supplier, these gains will have a major impact on reducing the LCOE of solar electricity and making the technology more widely accessible and independent from government subsidies.

Renewable energy and sustainability advisory DNV GL has signed a four-year deal to supply performance testing for U.S. government agency ARPA-E. The testing will validate the performance, reliability and safety of grid-tied storage technologies for which Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is providing funding.

Dutch research spinoff SoLayTec has announced that Hanwha Q Cells has begun evaluating its atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology. The InPassion ALD can be deployed for PERC upgrades and n-type cell production.

The blend addresses the technology’s inherent instability problems and reportedly delivers the highest-efficiency perovskite cell to date, according to IEEE Spectrum.

The successful completion of a pilot line phase would lead to the start of mass manufacturing in 2018, according to plans by Dyesol and Turkish partner Nesli DSC.