Source: axios.com
The commercialization of perovskite tandem cell technology - an innovation in the solar industry - is poised to redefine the space and help accelerate the energy transition.
Why it's important: Solar energy is critical for achieving global net-zero goals, but continued innovation will be essential to unlock its full potential and accelerate progress.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) is projected to contribute an impressive 80% of the growth in global renewable capacity by 2030, reinforcing its role as one of the most cost-effective options for new electricity generation, alongside wind, in nearly every country.
Here's the deal: At COP28, countries set a goal to triple the world's renewable energy capacity by 2030 to meet net-zero goals, but the world is on track to expand capacity by only 2.7 times.
The challenge: Silicon-based solar cells, which currently power nearly 95% of solar panels worldwide, are rapidly approaching their efficiency limit.
The solar industry must adopt new technologies and materials that drive higher efficiencies and greater energy output to continue scaling up solar's impact.
One solution: Perovskite, a photoactive crystal structure that absorbs light and generates solar energy, has shown great potential to enhance the performance and efficiency of solar cells beyond what silicon alone can achieve.
Tandem cells take this efficiency even further by combining perovskite with silicon, allowing each material to capture different parts of the sunlight spectrum and generate significantly more electricity from the same amount of sunlight.
The breakdown: In tandem cells, a perovskite layer is placed on top of a silicon cell, and this configuration broadens the range of wavelengths captured, with the perovskite absorbing visible and UV light while the silicon captures infrared light - resulting in a higher overall energy output.
The impact: Perovskite-only cells have reached experimental efficiencies of around 26%, but perovskite tandem cells have already exceeded this in the lab.
The theoretical efficiency limit of tandem cells estimated by academia is 44%, about 1.5 times higher than single silicon cells' 29.1%.
Okay, but: While many companies have claimed new breakthroughs in solar efficiency, most of these developments lack the crucial component of commercialization.
For example, tests taking place in lab environments lack the critical connection to real-life cell application and the ability to streamline research and development into scalable manufacturing processes.
Without this capability, companies face significant hurdles to manufacturing these breakthroughs at scale.
The positive news: Hanwha, a leader in clean energy and maritime decarbonization, is spearheading innovation in next-generation solar technology and is at the forefront of perovskite tandem cell commercialization.
Hanwha Qcells, a leading solar manufacturer and comprehensive clean energy solutions provider, is bridging the gap between lab and market by focusing on real-life applications. As part of Hanwha Group, it is building the capacity to scale up as an established leader in the industry.
Hanwha Qcells has invested nearly $3 billion into building out an end-to-end solar supply chain in North America - which is expected to be the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Worth a mention: The company has a strong track record in developing scalable solar innovations and was the first in the world to commercialize Passivated Emitter Rear Cell (PERC) technology, now an industry standard for solar panel design.
How it's done: Hanwha Qcells' research and development team conducts trials and develops test models with full-sized wafers used not only in residential panels but also large utility-scale modules.
This approach ensures new technology developments are compatible with the varied applications seen in real-world scenarios.
Qcells has also built a perovskite tandem cell pilot line in Jincheon, Korea, with trial operations scheduled to begin this year.
The strategy: The company's integrated U.S. supply chain provides a unique advantage by allowing it to access real-time data across the entire production process.
This visibility enables Hanwha Qcells to test new technologies and iterate rapidly, closing the feedback loop between production and performance.
The takeaway: Perovskite-based tandem solar cells are illuminating the path to progress for the renewable energy landscape - with Hanwha at the helm.
"Perovskite tandem cells create a next-generation capability in terms of efficiency, surpassing conventional solar cells and creating new opportunities to ensure solar can grow even faster to help us achieve net zero," says Danielle Merfeld, Chief Technology Officer of Hanwha Qcells.
