Weekend Read: Industry and researchers in tandem
As efficiency records tumble and devices become more stable, Europe is seeing the beginnings of a race to commercialize high-efficiency perovskite-silicon tandem solar products, reports Valerie Thompson.
French consortium to set up 5 GW factory for 4T tandem perovskite-silicon modules
Voltec and the Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France (IPVF) have revealed plans to set up a pilot line for their new panel technology in 2023.
Tandem solar modules vs commercial crystalline
Researchers in France have tried to predict the competitiveness of tandem PV modules against commercial crystalline products in 2030. Crystalline products will be 22-24% efficient in a decade, according to the researchers, possibly 25% if interdigitated back-contact heterojunction versions become mainstream. To compete, tandem devices will need to offer similar life spans and degradation rates, plus efficiencies of 30%.
Leading research institutes to collaborate on flexible CIGS
Two of Europe’s leading research institutes, Germany’s Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden Württemberg (ZSW) and the Institut Photovoltaïque D’Île de France (IPVF) have announced plans to closely cooperate in researching concepts for flexible solar cells utilizing CIGS technology.
