High efficiency in thin film solar cells based on abundantly available and cheap materials
A group of researchers led by Hendrik Bolink of the Institut de Ciència Molecular (ICMol) of the Scientific Park of the University of Valencia has developed a thin film low cost photovoltaic device with high power conversion efficiency. The results of this work, done in collaboration with researchers of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, were published in the scientific magazine Nature Photonics.
The solar cell developed by the researchers of the ICMol consists of a thin perovskite film sandwiched in between two very thin organic semiconductors. The total thickness of the device is less than half a micrometer, less than a millions’ part of a meter. The hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite material can be prepared easily and at low cost. Hendrik Bolink explains that these devices were prepared with low temperature processes similar to those used in the printing industry which allows the use of plastic substrates such that flexible devices can be prepared.
It is also possible to make the device semitransparent which allows their integration with building facades since they are very thin and light weight. In this way the sun light is filtered protecting the building interior from intense sun light while at the same electricity is generated.
An 85% of the solar cells that convert sun light into electricity are based on crystalline silicon, an expensive material, whereas the rest use polycrystalline thin film cells, mostly cadmium telluride/cadmium sulfide. These thin film cells are cheaper to produce yet are based on rare and rather toxic elements. Therefore, “the demonstration of high efficiency in thin film solar cells based on abundantly available and cheap materials like as used in these perovskite based solar cells, allows for an increasing share of solar energy in the mix of renewable resources” according to Dr. Bolink.
The Latest Bing News on:
Thin film photovoltaic device
- Heterojunction at the height of its poweron May 8, 2024 at 2:37 am
As it strives to increase performance while simultaneously reducing costs, Huasun has quickly moved from its first-generation heterojunction (HJT) cell to its current third- generation cell, and the ...
- KIT researchers develop18.2%-efficient perovskite solar cell via scalable inkjet processon May 7, 2024 at 11:56 pm
Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a scalable two-step evaporation and inkjet process for perovskite thin-film solar cells. The new technique reportedly enables to ...
- NREL interactive chart of solar cell efficiency now including ‘hybrid tandems’on May 6, 2024 at 4:09 am
The new cell category includes perovskite/silicon, perovskite/CIGS, III-V/silicon and perovskite/organic tandem PV devices. It will list the absolute record efficiency for all-perovskite, two-terminal ...
- The Evolution Of Solar Energy: How Solar Panels Have Changed Over The Yearson May 5, 2024 at 9:30 am
The evolution of solar is a long story that hasn't come close to finishing. Here's how solar panels have changed and evolved over the years.
- Perovskite Solar Cells: What Are They & How Do They Work?on May 4, 2024 at 7:15 am
This renewable energy technology has shown huge potential for over a decade, if only a few large obstacles could be overcome on the road to market.
- Technical Paperson April 22, 2024 at 10:44 am
Until recently, Solyndra had been one of the stealthiest thin-film photovoltaics operators, its glistening, prominently logoed headquarters building reminding tech-savvy commuters plowing up and ...
- Thin-Film Photovoltaic Market: A Burgeoning Arena of Innumerable Opportunitieson April 16, 2024 at 5:01 pm
In the latest advances, thin-film solar panels are photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that are made up of one or more thin layers of PV materials. In this blog, we will discuss various aspects of the ...
- Ascent Solar Technologies Achieves CIGS Technology Power Generation Milestones at Production Scale with Thin Filmon March 25, 2024 at 3:30 am
and durable CIGS thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced that its thin film CIGS technology reached record power generation of 14 watts at production scale. Since the installation ...
- Understanding Thin Films: Key to Advanced Electronics, Optics, & Energyon March 9, 2024 at 4:39 am
light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and photovoltaic cells. The choice of material directly influences the film's electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, thereby determining the functionality of the ...
- Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaicson November 15, 2023 at 2:52 pm
This book examines the advances in materials science, chemistry, processing and device issues of thin-film compound semiconductor materials that are used, or have potential use, in photovoltaic solar ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Thin film photovoltaic device
[google_news title=”” keyword=”thin film photovoltaic device” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”] [/vc_column_text]The Latest Bing News on:
Photovoltaic device
- Harnessing Sunlight Like Never Before: Hemispherical Solar Cells Unleash Unmatched Absorptionon May 9, 2024 at 4:17 am
New research suggests redesigning organic solar cells with a hemispherical shell structure to provide broader angular coverage, which is particularly beneficial for devices that need adaptable light ...
- Powering drones with ultra-thin, flexible perovskite PV cellson May 9, 2024 at 1:07 am
An Austrian research team has demonstrated lightweight, flexible and ultra-thin perovskite solar technology in palm-sized autonomous drones, showcasing the stability and energy-harvesting potential of ...
- High-school students light up UW-Oshkosh campus at Solar Olympicson May 8, 2024 at 12:01 pm
The students are from schools that participate in WPS' SolarWise for Schools program which provides renewable energy lessons.
- A low-energy process for high-performance solar cells could simplify the manufacturing processon May 8, 2024 at 7:39 am
Finding reliable, eco-friendly power sources is crucial as our world grapples with increasing energy needs and the urgent call to combat climate change. Solar energy offers one solution, with ...
- Development of ultra-high-efficiency pure red light-emitting devices with enhanced color representationon May 8, 2024 at 6:38 am
DGIST Professor Jiwoong Yang's team in the Energy Science and Engineering Department has successfully manufactured high-performance, skin-attachable perovskite pure red light-emitting devices to ...
- Major step forward with new PV analyser and I-V curve traceron May 7, 2024 at 1:00 am
Fluke has released the new Fluke Solmetric PVA-1500HE2 PV Analyzer and I-V Curve Tracer. The announcement means that installation and maintenance engineers working on large-scale solar PV arrays and ...
- Transparent Materials Unlock New Possibilities for Photovoltaicson May 5, 2024 at 12:00 pm
Scientists have discovered that transparent materials can generate electricity when exposed to light, opening new avenues for optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices.
- The Evolution Of Solar Energy: How Solar Panels Have Changed Over The Yearson May 5, 2024 at 4:30 am
The evolution of solar is a long story that hasn't come close to finishing. Here's how solar panels have changed and evolved over the years.
- Popular NREL Cell Efficiency Chart Now Better Presents Tandem Photovoltaicson May 2, 2024 at 1:03 pm
The Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart is one of the most-visited pages on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) website. It makes frequent appearances in presentations at photovoltaic ...
- IEC develops standards for vehicle-integrated photovoltaicson April 30, 2024 at 8:45 am
In its first monthly column for pv magazine, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) explains how a team of its experts is currently working on the definition of new standards for VIPV ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Photovoltaic device
[google_news title=”” keyword=”photovoltaic device” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]