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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/M024881/1
Title Organic-inorganic perovskite hybrid tandem solar cells
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics) 50%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr hjs Snaith
No email address given
Oxford Physics
University of Oxford
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 May 2015
End Date 31 October 2018
Duration 42 months
Total Grant Value £696,405
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region South East
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr hjs Snaith , Oxford Physics, University of Oxford (99.998%)
  Other Investigator Professor J Walls , Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University (0.001%)
Dr J Bowers , Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , Oxford Photovoltaics Limited (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Substantial manufacturing-cost reductions in mainstream silicon-wafer (c-Si) based solar cell technologies have recently been achieved mainly due to savings through economy of scale. Hence a recent forecast for the future large-scale use of photovoltaics predicts that solar energy will contribute nearly a third of newly-installed electricity generation capacity worldwide between now and 2030. To reach this goal however and to assure a widespread deployment of PV, the cost for PV-generated energy still needs to be further reduced. A large fraction of the cost of solar power is not the modules themselves, but the fixed costs of frames, inverters, installation and land, which is termed the balance of systems (BOS). The BOS is not reducing in price as fast as the module costs, hence the only sure means to continue the downward drive in the cost of PV is to enhance the absolute efficiency of the modules, without overtly increasing their cost. The key aim of this project is to realise highly efficient hybrid tandem solar cells with high stability. The specific target is to achieve a power conversion efficiency of over 25% when integrating a wide band gap perovskite solar cell with a crystalline silicon solar cell. A solar cell is composed of a light absorbing photoactive material as the main component which generates electrical current. But this layer is contacted by multiple further materials to ensure efficient charge extraction and high voltage generation in the solar cell. Our philosophy is to undertake an extremely focussed project, employ as many existing proven materials as possible, apart from the perovskite absorber layer, and integrate them judiciously within the perovskite-Silicon tandem solar cells. This will minimise the risk, and maximise the possibility of delivering an entirely stable tandem solar cell. In the process of doing so, and throughout the investigations, we will create highly efficient bifacial perovskite solar cells (which can receive light illumination from both sides) and enhance our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms occurring at the junctions between the perovskite and the charge collection layers. The project is extremely timely, since the perovskite solar cells are already at the appropriate efficiency to enhance existing PV in a tandem configuration, provided effective integration into a tandem structure can be achieved. In addition, much progress on the overall stability of the perovskite solar cells and large area processing has already been achieved, making it highly likely that the output of this project will be transferred directly into a commercial product
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Added to Database 08/04/15