Research

The Australian research team which developed the device said the higher efficiency was achieved through a nanowire design which eliminates the interface inside the titanium dioxide band.

Saudi researchers have developed a cell which is said to exhibit improved structural and optoelectronic properties as well as enhanced carrier mobility and diffusion lengths. The feat was achieved by reducing voltage losses using a new passivation technique.

Spanish researchers have unveiled a monolithic nano-structured perovskite silicon tandem device they claim can reduce optical losses by more than a third compared to planar perovskite cells of the same kind.

Researchers have integrated A3B5 semiconductors on a silicon substrate in a prototype solar cell and claim the technique could enable the production of III-V solar cells with conversion efficiencies of around 40%.

Semi-transparent organic solar cells can reduce the carbon footprint and raise the crop yield of greenhouses while acting as generators and insulation. Scientists in the U.S. say greenhouses equipped with organic cells could be energy self-sufficient year round in hot and moderate-humidity climates.

Researchers have found strong anodic activity in disordered particles of magnesium chromium oxide. Unlike conventional, ordered nanocrystals, the disordered particles reportedly achieved reversible magnesium extraction and insertion.

Researchers from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have used molybdenum oxide as the hole-selective contact in an heterojuction silicon cell. The scientists claim the compound can compete with traditional contacts despite a lower level of optimization.

Solar module manufacturers should begin testing new technologies in higher-value niche markets, say scientists at the U.S. institution. For example, bringing perovskite technology directly to the mainstream market remains prohibitive in terms of initial investment but segments such as building-integrated PV or microelectronics devices may offer better routes to commercial maturity.

Korean researchers claim it is possible to extract more than 10% of ‘hidden electricity’ in crystalline solar cells using a new encapsulation process based on poly‐dimethylsiloxane coatings and a three-dimensional module structure. Compared to EVA films, the new coating is said to avoid cutting off short-wavelength light.

New research based on participatory photography and focus groups has shown how solar parks can change people’s landscape perception through a number of factors, not exclusively visual. According to the study, people that see landscapes in an idyllic way tend to oppose the presence of a solar park, while people with a more utilitarian concept of the rural landscape show stronger acceptance.