Scientists develop method to create more stable and efficient next-gen solar cells

A group of international scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking technique that could potentially revolutionise the development of cleaner and more sustainable solar cells.

Their research, published in the journal Nature Energy, introduces a method for creating highly durable perovskite solar cells that maintain an impressive 21.59% efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity.

What are perovskite solar cells?

Perovskite solar cells are nothing new. Characterised by their exceptional light-absorbing crystalline structure, they have long been lauded as having the potential to outshine traditional silicon solar cells both in terms of cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Perovskite solar cells have garnered significant attention due to their ability to be manufactured at room temperature with minimal energy consumption compared to conventional silicon materials. This characteristic makes them more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient.

However, they have – until now – faced a significant hurdle in terms of durability, preventing their widespread use in real-world conditions. This is because the organic components in the materials used to produce these cells have made them susceptible to moisture, oxygen and heat – leading to rapid performance degradation in real-world conditions.

To address this issue, the researchers turned to all-inorganic perovskite materials, such as cesium lead iodide, which demonstrate excellent electrical properties and higher resistance to environmental factors. And since they have different optoelectronic properties, they offer improved energy absorption and conversion efficiency in solar devices.

Promising findings

In the study, the scientists reported a rather impressive power conversion efficiency in the new cells of 21.59% alongside better stability. The devices also retained over 90% of their initial efficiency after 200 hours of storage under ambient conditions.

The practicality of this novel technique was further demonstrated by scaling it from the laboratory to a real-world solar module. The solar cell achieved an efficiency of 18.43% for an area exceeding seven square inches.

This innovative method shows the potential of developing large perovskite solar cell modules with reliable stability.

"With this approach, we believe it should be possible in the near future to shoot the efficiency of this material past 25%," said the study's co-author, Nelson Dzade, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering. "And once we do that, commercialisation becomes very close."

It's hoped that the research will open doors to a cleaner and more sustainable future for solar energy, offering reduced environmental impact.