Perovskite

An Algerian research group has analyzed the electronic, elastic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics of the KGeCl3 perovskite to verify if this lead-free material may be used for solar cells and other electronic devices. The scientists found that the novel material has a direct bandgap semiconductor with bandgap energies of 0.92 eV, 1.26 eV, and 1.88 eV for cubic, tetragonal, and orthorhombic phases, respectively.

Scientists in Australia claim to have achieved the highest efficiency ever reported to date for a perovskite solar cell built on a steel substrate. They utilized an indium tin oxide (ITO) interlayer between the steel substrate and the cell in order to avoid iron diffusion from the substrate into the PV device.

A spokesperson from the Japanese plastics maker told pv magazine that production is currently being carried out at a small facility in the laboratory, and that the location of a full-scale production facility is currently under consideration.

Caelux secured series A funding to deploy perovskite glass that can be integrated with existing solar manufacturing processes to boost module efficiency.

The researchers of the Belgian research institute used a dual-layer treatment for the perovskite absorber, which they said improved the cell efficiency and stability. The device achieved an open-circuit voltage of 1.17 V, short-circuit density of 24.5 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 84.6%.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has made highly bifacial perovskite cells with a front-side efficiency of 23%.

German scientists have fabricated a carbon electrode perovskite solar cell with a hole-transporting bilayer made of organic semiconductors instead of a conventional hole transport layer. They claim this approach improves the device’s fill factor and open-circuit voltage.

European scientists used a nanosecond pulsed ultraviolet laser to reduce surface defects in perovskite films for solar cell applications. The result is a significant increase in cell efficiency and stability. The new technique may be particularly suitable for roll-to-roll (R2R) production lines.

GCL-SI has launched a new 320 W perovskite solar module. The company guarantees that the 10-year end power output will be at least 90% of the nominal output power, which decreases to 80% after 25 years.

Qatari researchers have incorporated an electron transport layer (ETL) made of tin(IV) oxide into a perovskite solar cell through air-thermal-annealing, resulting in better efficiency and stability. The device demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of 1.045 V, a short-circuit current of 22.01 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 74.3%.