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					</table><p>A study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (<a href="https://www.nrel.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NREL</a>) has claimed it has improved perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology performance by replacing the commonly used fullerene (C<sub>60</sub>) electron transport layer (ETL) with a newly synthesized ionic salt, commonly referred to as CPMAC. <sub></sub></p>
<p>A study published in the journal Science said that this substitution significantly enhances PSCs’ performance, efficiency, and long-term durability, bringing the technology closer to commercial viability.</p>
<p>Perovskites are materials with a specific crystalline structure known for their exceptional light absorption and semiconductor properties. Despite their lab-scale efficiencies, a persistent challenge has been the long-term stability of perovskite cells, particularly under prolonged exposure to light and elevated temperatures.</p>
<p>Kai Zhu, a senior scientist at NREL, noted that the research focused on improving the chemical composition of the electron transport layer, which plays a crucial role in channeling electrons activated by sunlight through the solar cell.</p>
<p>Although effective, the commonly used C<sub>60</sub> fullerene layer has limitations due to its molecular nature. It forms weak interfaces with adjacent layers, resulting in reduced mechanical strength and faster degradation over time, especially under thermal stress.</p>
<p>To resolve this issue, the researchers introduced an ionic salt derived from C<sub>60</sub>, known as phenylmethanaminium chloride. This compound features a methyleneammonium head group that improves bonding at the ETL interface. Its ionic characteristics promote tighter molecular packing. Together, these features enhance the interfacial mechanical strength by nearly three times compared to conventional.</p>
<p>The report said the PSCs incorporating CPMAC achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.1%, surpassing the 25.5% PCE recorded using standard C<sub>60</sub>-based layers.</p>
<p>Additionally, stability tests showed only 2% efficiency loss after 2,100 hours of continuous one-sun exposure to 65 degrees Celsius, while C<sub>60</sub>-based devices showed 5% degradation after 1,500 hours at 85 degrees Celsius.</p>
<p>The technology was also tested on a minimodule consisting of four subcells and a total area of six square centimeters, which achieved a PCE of 23%. These minimodules exhibited less than 9% degradation after 2,200 hours of operation at 55 degrees Celsius.</p>
<p>This advancement also leverages the inverted architecture of PSCs, in which the order of layer deposition is reversed from conventional configurations. Inverted structures are known for their enhanced thermal stability and compatibility with tandem solar cells, which stack multiple layers to capture a broader spectrum of sunlight.</p>
<p>The report claims that this configuration can potentially make the new CPMAC-based approach particularly attractive for next-generation solar modules and commercial-scale production.</p>
<p>In May 2024, NREL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/nrel-roadmap-tandem-solar-cells" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> enhancing cell and module efficiency to record levels, scale manufacturing, and address reliability and durability issues, as well as figure out the design of hybrid tandem solar modules to better commercialize them.</p>


NREL Claims a Boost in Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Using Ionic Salt


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					</table><p>A team of researchers at the  U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (<a href="https://www.nrel.gov/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NREL</a>) has claimed to achieve 91%-93% of bifaciality on a newly developed bifacial perovskite solar cell.</p>
<p>The researchers designed a perovskite bifacial solar cell with a modified thickness and achieved efficiencies under illumination from both sides, which were very close together.</p>
<p>They utilized optical and electrical simulations to determine the necessary thickness to be constructed into the cell.</p>
<p>The perovskite layer on the front of the bifacial solar cell had to be thick enough to absorb most of the photons from a certain part of the solar spectrum but not too thick that it would block them. The team also determined the ideal thickness of the rear electrode to minimize resistive loss.</p>
<p>The simulations guided the team to design the bifacial cell with an accurate thickness of 850 nanometers.</p>
<p>The researchers placed the cell between two solar simulators to evaluate the efficiency gained through bifacial illumination. The direct light was aimed at the front side, while the rear received the reflected light.</p>
<p>The efficiency of the perovskite cell increased as the ratio of the reflected light to the front illumination increased.</p>
<p>The researchers claimed that the lab-measured efficiency of the front illumination crossed 23%, and from the back illumination, the efficiency was about 91%-93% of the front side.</p>
<p>The study “Highly efficient bifacial single-junction perovskite solar cells” was published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joule</a>.</p>
<p>In the past, bifacial perovskite solar cell research developed devices not competent enough compared to monofacial cells with a record efficiency of ~26%.</p>
<p>The dual nature of bifacial solar cells enables them to capture direct sunlight on the front and reflected sunlight on the back, allowing them to outperform their monofacial counterparts.</p>
<p>Bifacial perovskite solar modules are known to cost more to manufacture than the widely used monofacial modules. However, the researchers estimate that bifacial modules could become better financial investments because of the 10-20% higher power generation.</p>
<p>The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office funded the research.</p>
<p>Recently another team of researchers at NREL and Northern Illinois University <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/gold-layer-substitute-perovskite-market-potential" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a layer made of nickel-doped graphite combined with a bismuth-indium alloy as a cost-effective alternative to the gold layer used on perovskite solar cells.</p>
<p>In March this year, NREL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/one-step-perovskite-solar-cells-commercially-viable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devised</a> a new way to produce perovskite solar cells that could speed its commercialization. After 1,200 hours of continuous operation, the team created a high-efficiency solar cell that maintained over 90% of its initial efficiency.</p>
<p>(Image Credit: NREL researchers designed bifacial perovskite solar cell)</p>


Researchers Develop Perovskite Solar Cells with ~93% Bifaciality

<p>Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.kit.edu/english/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KIT</a>) in Germany have developed colored solar cells from inexpensive perovskite semiconductor material, which can be integrated into facades or roofs of buildings and imitate the optics of building materials like marble.</p>
<p>In a series of experiments, the researchers proved that the method developed initially for silicon solar modules can also be applied efficiently to perovskite solar modules. The researchers maintain that solar cells colored cyan, magenta, and yellow reached up to 60% of the original efficiency when converting solar energy into power.</p>
<p>Colors can be mixed as the researchers used inkjet printing in fabricating the modules. This does not only lead to a wide spectrum of colors, but it is also possible to print complex color patterns. Researchers produced solar modules looking like various building materials. Perovskite solar modules with white marble optics reached up to 14% efficiency.</p>
<p>“So far, the color impression of colored perovskite solar cells has been dependent on the angle of the incident light. With our method, the color is nearly independent of the angle of incident solar radiation and always looks the same,” explains Helge Eggers, project coordinator, Institute of Microstructure Technology.</p>
<p>By building-integrated photovoltaics, the photovoltaic system will not have to be installed on roofs or facades but replaced by a module, saving on the additional costs. The researchers stated that a small efficiency is better for building-integrated photovoltaics than a wall supplying no power at all.</p>
<p>At the laboratory, perovskite solar cells reached efficiencies above 25%. Compared to silicon solar cells of similar efficiency, the initial materials used in the former case are cheaper and simpler production methods.</p>
<p>As of 2022, all new buildings in the state of Baden-Württemberg must be equipped with photovoltaic systems. This will also apply to private households, whose share of solar installations is still minimal from May. The colored cell can pave the way for a change in consumer perception and broader adoption.</p>
<p>Earlier, researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have claimed to have set a new conversion efficiency record of 29.80% in a tandem solar cell made of perovskite and silicon. The result was certified by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab. The researchers <a href="https://mercomindia.com/new-perovskite-silicon-tandem-solar-cell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improved</a> upon their earlier conversion efficiency record of 29.15%.</p>
<p>Scientists from South Korea-based Gwangju Institute used L-alanine as an additive to perovskite materials to passivate defects and increase grains in perovskite solar cells to overcome the problem. They confirmed that solar cell efficiency <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-enhance-efficiency-perovskite-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> to 20.3% from 18.3%.</p>
<p>Image Credit: Karlsruhe Institute Of Technology</p>


Researchers Develop Perovskite Solar Modules to Act as Reflective Building Material

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