Processing and Architecture Design to Develop and Demonstrate Stable and Efficient Perovskite + Silicon Tandem Modules

Development of innovative tandem perovskite/silicon photovoltaics with 25% efficiency and paving a path to their commercialization

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Tech Partner

Grid Decarbonization and Decentralization Variable Renewable Generation

Tandem PV, Inc.

Recipient

San Jose, CA

Recipient Location

10th

Senate District

24th

Assembly District

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$999,747

Amount Spent

closed

Completed

Project Status

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Project Result

The project kicked off in November 2019. At the beginning of 2023, the project team made transparent perovskite panels on 100cm2 area up to 17% efficiency; these can then be stacked on top of silicon solar cells to form a tandem solar panel. The panels passed stringent industry-standard IEC 61215 accelerated tests, positioning the technology for commercial readiness. Both of these technical achievements heavily used the advancements made in this project. The final presentation for this project was in February 2023.

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The Issue

California seeks to achieve 100% renewable and carbon-free electricity by 2045. A new generation of high-efficiency, low-cost tandem perovskite and silicon photovoltaic technologies can help achieve this goal by lowering costs to build and operate solar generation, facilitating economic combinations of solar and storage, and supporting increased installation of solar in urban environments and on homes. Tandem PV modules combine metal-halide perovskite material and silicon to increase solar panel efficiency and can do so without increasing panel ($/W) cost.

Project Innovation

This project improved the durability of perovskite solar cells and advanced large-area perovskite deposition processes, which demonstrated high performance, yield, and throughput. Specifically, the project developed scalable processing of perovskite photovoltaic layers through spray deposition and rapid thermal annealing to fabricate and test 6x6 inch perovskite/silicon tandem devices with 25% cell efficiency. Combinations of these two developments resulted in demonstrations of product readiness for perovskite durability. These demonstrations will provide confidence to manufacturers and potential customers of solar panels using perovskite technology.

Project Goals

Demonstrate processes and materials that improve perovskite solar cell durability.

Demonstrate performance on large areas that motivate transition to manufacturing.

Determine life cycle and recycling implications of perovskite technology.

Project Benefits

Tandem perovskite/silicon photovoltaic modules will reduce balance-of-systems costs at all installation scales due to their higher efficiency compared with conventional silicon solar panels.

Affordability

Tandem perovskite/silicon photovoltaic modules will reduce balance-of-systems costs at all installation scales due to their higher efficiency compared with conventional silicon solar panels.

Economic Development

Development of cost-effective manufacturing methods for tandem solar photovoltaics provides an opportunity for California to compete with silicon-based PVs produced outside of the United States and develop solar manufacturing jobs in thin-film solar photovoltaic markets.