9 May 2016

Solliance sets record 10% aperture-area conversion efficiency for scaled-up perovskite-based PV modules

Solliance, a European thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) solar energy R&D consortium in the ELAT (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen) region, has demonstrated a record 10% aperture-area power conversion efficiency for its up-scaled thin-film perovskite photovoltaic modules, measured on an aperture area of 168cm2.

Twenty-five cells were serial connected through an optimized P1, P2, P3 interconnection technology. The module was realized on a 6-inch x 6-inch glass substrate using industrial scalable slot die coating in combination with laser patterning. Further, the PV module was packaged by applying a flexible barrier using a lamination process.

Based on previous optimization on 16cm2 modules, the Solliance team was able to quickly transfer this to a 6-inch x 6-inch sized glass substrate using the developed blade coating process and the optimized mechanical patterning technology. In this case, a 156cm2 aperture-area module with 10% efficiency was realized comprising 24 interconnected cells. This was then used as starting point for the realization of above-mentioned 168cm2 PV module.

Soliance says that the results demonstrate the ability to scale up the emerging new thin-film PV technology. Apart from the electrodes that are currently used, all layers can be processed in an ambient environment and at temperatures below 120°C, demonstrating the potential for low production costs. Further, the deposition and interconnection technologies used for obtaining these results are industrially available for sheet-to-sheet as well as for roll-to-roll manufacturing. The latter can allow high-volume production in the future.

The existing efficiency record for a small lab-scale perovskite-based PV cell is 22.1%. "The challenge is to upscale perovskite cells to larger-size industrially processable modules with high efficiency and long lifetimes at low cost," says Ronn Andriessen, program manager of the perovskite-based PV program at Solliance. "The current result, presented on an aperture area comparable to standard commercial silicon solar cells, shows that Solliance, with its in-depth know-how on processing of organic PV and CIGS [copper indium gallium diselenide] and its vast sheet-to-sheet and roll-to-roll pilot production infrastructure, is excellently placed to realize this upscaling. These 10% up-scaled perovskite-based PV modules are first and important steps in this development," he adds. "We are confident to boost quickly the up-scaled perovskite-based PV module efficiency further above 15% by using very low-cost materials and processes. But, besides demonstrating the up-scalability of these highly efficient perovskite-based PV devices, we are also currently working hard to stabilize further the performance of these devices under real-life operational conditions." 

Together with its industrial partners Nano-C, Solartek, DyeSol and Panasonic, Solliance is conducting research on the development of perovskite-based PV modules and its applications. With the latest result, the Solliance R&D partners and their industrial partners have demonstrated their research framework for the development of industrial perovskite-based PV modules.

Solliance partners include ECN, imec, TNO, Holst Centre, TU/e, Forschungszentrum Jülich , University Hasselt and Delft University of Technology. The consortium is supported by the Dutch province of North Brabant, which has dedicated €28m to Solliance. In June 2014, Solliance opened a large shared laboratory at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven that includes pre-pilot production facilities, complementing partners' labs (which are also available to the other partners). To make optimal use of these lab facilities, they are open to valorization programs in joint research with industry.

See related items:

Imec reports record perovskite thin-film PV module efficiency of 11.3%

Dyesol becomes industrial partner of Solliance  

Imec reports perovskite PV module with 8% efficiency

Tags: Solliance Thin-film PV

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