2024 Perovskite Breakthroughs are the Future of Solar

Undecided with Matt Ferrell
16 Apr 202414:26

Summary

TLDRPerovskites, a new generation of solar materials, promise higher efficiency and lower costs than traditional silicon photovoltaics. Despite their potential to break the 20% efficiency barrier and capture a wider light spectrum, durability concerns have kept them from widespread adoption. Recent breakthroughs, however, suggest that solutions to these issues may be on the horizon, with companies like Oxford PV and KIER making significant strides. As the global perovskite solar cell market is projected to grow exponentially, the potential for a solar revolution looms, pending confirmation of these materials' long-term stability and efficiency.

Takeaways

  • šŸŒŸ Perovskites are emerging as a highly efficient alternative to traditional silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, potentially surpassing the 20% efficiency limit of silicon.
  • šŸš€ Despite their higher efficiency, perovskites have faced challenges with durability and lifespan, which has kept them from widespread commercial use thus far.
  • šŸ“ˆ Recent breakthroughs in 2024 suggest that perovskites might be closer to market, with researchers worldwide achieving record-breaking durability and efficiency.
  • šŸ”¬ Researchers are tackling the durability issue through various approaches, including chemical engineering, architectural innovation, and serendipitous discoveries.
  • šŸŒˆ The ability to 'tune' perovskites allows them to capture a broader spectrum of sunlight, and they can be combined with silicon to create 'tandem' cells for even greater efficiency.
  • šŸ  Increased solar panel efficiency can significantly reduce the number of panels needed and offer cost savings, as demonstrated by the comparison with the host's home solar panels.
  • šŸ’° Perovskites have the potential to be cheaper than silicon PVs due to easier manufacturing techniques and widely available materials.
  • šŸ› ļø The UK company Oxford PV claims to have addressed the durability issue and is working towards commercial production of their tandem solar cells.
  • šŸŒ The global perovskite solar cell market is projected to grow from $94.8 million in 2022 to around $2.479 billion by 2032, indicating a strong belief in their future.
  • šŸ”„ A shift in focus from conventional silicon wafer production to perovskite cells by companies like CubicPV shows industry confidence in the technology.
  • šŸŒ Advancements in perovskites could revolutionize solar energy, but their success hinges on overcoming durability challenges and achieving consistent, long-term stability.

Q & A

  • What are perovskites and why are they considered a breakthrough in solar panel technology?

    -Perovskites are a family of crystalline materials with a specific crystal structure similar to calcium titanate. They are considered a breakthrough because they have the potential to exceed the efficiency of current silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, which capture around 20% of usable sunlight. Perovskites can potentially break the 20% efficiency barrier and even surpass silicon's theoretical maximum efficiency of 29%. They can also be tuned to capture light from parts of the spectrum that silicon PVs cannot, allowing for the creation of 'tandem' cells that significantly increase light capture and overall efficiency.

  • What is the main challenge hindering the widespread adoption of perovskite solar cells?

    -The main challenge with perovskite solar cells is their durability. While they perform well in lab conditions, they degrade quickly in the real world when exposed to heat, moisture, oxygen, and UV rays. This durability issue has prevented them from moving beyond the lab setting despite their high efficiency potential.

  • How do researchers approach the problem of enhancing perovskite durability?

    -Researchers are tackling the durability issue of perovskites in various ways. Some are focusing on the chemistry of the materials to engineer tougher perovskites. Others are examining the architecture of perovskite PV cells, experimenting with different cell blueprints to achieve better results. There are also instances of unexpected 'eureka' moments that lead to significant advancements in the field.

  • What is the significance of Oxford PV's claim regarding the durability of their perovskite cells?

    -Oxford PV claims to have solved the durability issue of perovskite cells, which is a significant breakthrough. They state that their cells are designed to meet or exceed a 25-year lifespan, which they claim to have proven through studies of full-size modules in outdoor environments for over three years. If their claims are validated, it could pave the way for commercial production and widespread adoption of perovskite solar cells.

  • What is the efficiency rate achieved by the tandem solar cell module constructed by FISES using Oxford PV's cells?

    -The tandem solar cell module constructed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES) using Oxford PV's cells achieved a record-breaking 25% conversion efficiency. This is a significant increase from the standard efficiency rates of current silicon solar cells.

  • How do the P-I-N and N-I-P architectures of perovskite cells differ, and what are their respective advantages?

    -The P-I-N (hole-layer, i-layer, electron-layer) and N-I-P (electron-layer, i-layer, hole-layer) architectures are two different ways of arranging the layers in a perovskite solar cell. The N-I-P style is physically easier to construct and is more common, holding most of the efficiency records. However, recent research suggests that P-I-N variants are more durable and can match the efficiency of N-I-P cells. The choice between the two architectures depends on the specific requirements and trade-offs in terms of construction ease, efficiency, and durability.

  • What is the innovative approach taken by the Saudi researchers from KAUST in enhancing perovskite P-I-N cells?

    -The Saudi researchers from KAUST developed a novel P-I-N perovskite cell setup with enhanced ligands. These ligands not only bond the perovskite to the other layers but also act as a protective layer or varnish on top of the perovskite layer. This resulted in a cell with a high power conversion efficiency of 25.63% and showed only a 5% degradation after 1,000 hours of testing at high temperatures.

  • What is the significance of KIER's development in semi-transparent perovskite PVs?

    -KIER's development in semi-transparent perovskite PVs is significant because it addresses the challenge of using transparent electrodes, which tend to cause faster degradation of PV cells. By adding a metal oxide layer to screen out high-energy particles and converting lithium ions into stable lithium oxide, they enhanced both the durability and efficiency of the cells. Their semi-transparent solar cells achieved an efficiency of 21.68% and retained 99% of their initial efficiency after 240 hours of operation, showing promising potential for applications in windows and bifacial PVs.

  • What was the initial plan of CubicPV, and how did it change?

    -CubicPV initially planned to build a 10 GW conventional mono wafer factory in North America to fill a supply chain gap and create green energy jobs. However, the company shifted its focus to tandem perovskite cells, abandoning the wafer factory plans. This change reflects the company's confidence in the potential of perovskite technology as the future of solar energy.

  • What is the projected growth of the global perovskite solar cell market by 2032?

    -The global perovskite solar cell market size is projected to grow significantly from $94.8 million in 2022 to around $2.479 billion by 2032. This growth indicates a strong belief in the potential of perovskite technology in the renewable energy sector.

  • What is the main reason for skepticism towards CubicPV's claim of tackling perovskite durability issues?

    -The main reason for skepticism towards CubicPV's claim is the lack of detailed data and evidence on how they plan to address the durability issues of perovskite cells. Their approach appears to be proprietary, and without concrete results or peer-reviewed research, it's difficult to assess the validity and effectiveness of their 'better chemistry' and intrinsic stability claims.

  • What is the significance of the efficiency and stability ratings of perovskite solar cells in their market adoption?

    -The efficiency and stability ratings of perovskite solar cells are crucial for their market adoption. High efficiency rates indicate that perovskite cells can capture and convert more sunlight into electricity, which directly translates to more energy production. Stability ratings, on the other hand, ensure that the cells maintain their efficiency over a long period, which is essential for their commercial viability and consumer trust. Impressive efficiency ratings, even if not fully realized, suggest that perovskite cells will find their niche in the market due to their potential to significantly improve solar energy generation.

Outlines

00:00

šŸŒŸ The Promise of Perovskites in Solar Technology

This paragraph introduces perovskites as a groundbreaking material for solar panels, highlighting their potential for higher efficiency and yield compared to traditional silicon photovoltaics (PVs). Despite their fragility and short lifespans, recent advancements have led to a surge in perovskite research, with new materials breaking records in durability. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on whether perovskites are ready for commercial debut, and emphasizes the significance of these materials in the evolving solar energy landscape.

05:01

šŸ” Oxford PV's Breakthrough in Perovskite Durability

The second paragraph focuses on the progress made by Oxford PV in addressing the durability issues of perovskites. It mentions the company's claim of achieving a 25-year lifespan for their cells, backed by three years of outdoor testing on full-size modules. The paragraph also discusses the collaboration between Oxford PV and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES), which led to the creation of a solar module with a record-breaking 25% conversion efficiency. The emphasis is on the ongoing efforts to certify the longevity of these tandem solar cells and the anticipation of their commercial production.

10:02

šŸŒ Global Advances in Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency and Durability

This paragraph covers various international advancements in perovskite solar cell technology. It discusses the efforts of scientists from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, who have developed a novel P-I-N perovskite setup with enhanced ligands, leading to a high power conversion efficiency of 25.63% and significant durability. The paragraph also highlights the achievements of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) in creating semi-transparent perovskite PVs with improved efficiency and stability. Additionally, it touches on the shift of CubicPV, a company backed by Bill Gates, from conventional silicon wafers to tandem perovskite cells, indicating a promising future for perovskite technology despite concerns about durability and proprietary methods.

Mindmap

Keywords

šŸ’”Perovskites

Perovskites are a family of crystalline materials with a specific crystal structure similar to calcium titanate. They are considered a breakthrough in solar technology due to their potential for higher efficiency in capturing sunlight compared to traditional silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells. In the video, perovskites are highlighted as a key focus for their potential to revolutionize solar panels by offering higher efficiency and tunable light absorption properties.

šŸ’”Solar Panels

Solar panels are devices that convert sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells. The video discusses the evolution of solar panels, particularly the shift from traditional silicon PVs to the newer perovskite-based panels. The main theme revolves around the technological advancements and challenges in increasing the efficiency and durability of solar panels.

šŸ’”Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of solar panels refers to the percentage of sunlight that is converted into usable electricity. The video emphasizes the importance of improving solar panel efficiency, as higher efficiency can lead to increased energy production and reduced need for physical space to capture the same amount of sunlight.

šŸ’”Durability

Durability in relation to solar panels indicates the longevity and resistance to degradation under various environmental conditions such as heat, moisture, oxygen, and UV rays. The video discusses the challenges associated with perovskite cells' durability, as they have historically degraded quickly when exposed to real-world conditions.

šŸ’”Tandem Cells

Tandem cells are a type of solar cell that combines different materials, such as perovskite and silicon, to capture a broader range of the solar spectrum. By layering these materials, tandem cells can increase the overall efficiency of solar panels, as each layer can capture different wavelengths of light that the other cannot.

šŸ’”Oxford PV

Oxford PV is a UK-based company that is actively researching and developing perovskite solar cells. In the video, they are noted for their progress in addressing the durability issues associated with perovskite cells and for their collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES) to achieve record-breaking conversion efficiency.

šŸ’”Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES)

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES) is a German research institution focused on solar energy technologies. In the context of the video, FISES collaborated with Oxford PV to construct a perovskite tandem cell solar module that achieved a 25% conversion efficiency, which is a significant milestone in the field.

šŸ’”Charge Carriers

Charge carriers are electrons and 'holes' that are freed within a solar cell by incoming solar energy. The movement of these charge carriers creates an electrical current, which is harnessed in solar cells to generate electricity. The efficiency of a solar cell can be limited by how effectively these charge carriers can move through the cell to reach the electrodes.

šŸ’”P-I-N and N-I-P Architectures

P-I-N and N-I-P are two different architectural styles for solar cells. 'P' stands for the hole-layer (p-type), 'I' is the light-capturing layer (intrinsic), and 'N' is the electron-layer (n-type). The order of these layers determines which layer the sunlight first interacts with. The N-I-P style is more common due to its ease of construction, while the P-I-N variant is considered more durable.

šŸ’”Semi-Transparent Perovskites

Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells are designed to allow some light to pass through while still capturing a significant portion of sunlight to generate electricity. These cells show promise for applications like windows and bifacial PVs, where both sides of the panel can capture sunlight.

šŸ’”CubicPV

CubicPV is a company backed by Bill Gates that initially planned to build a conventional mono wafer factory but shifted its focus to developing tandem perovskite cells. This shift indicates a strong confidence in the potential of perovskite technology to become a dominant force in the solar industry.

Highlights

Perovskites are considered the next big innovation for solar panels due to their higher efficiency and yield compared to silicon photovoltaics (PVs).

Despite their potential, perovskite's fragility and short lifespans have kept them from being widely implemented, relegating them to lab use only.

2024 is expected to be a breakthrough year for perovskites, with new researchers worldwide achieving record-breaking results in durability.

Perovskites have the potential to exceed the 20% efficiency limit of current silicon solar cells and even surpass silicon's theoretical maximum efficiency of 29%.

Perovskites can be tuned to capture light from parts of the spectrum that silicon PVs cannot, enabling the creation of 'tandem' cells that significantly increase light capture and efficiency.

The ease of synthesis and production of perovskites make them not only more efficient but also potentially cheaper than silicon PVs.

The main challenge with perovskites is their durability under real-world conditions, as they degrade quickly due to heat, moisture, oxygen, and UV rays.

Oxford PV claims to have solved the durability issue of perovskites, with their cells designed to meet or exceed a 25-year lifespan.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (FISES) has used Oxford PV's tandem cells to create a solar module that achieved a record-breaking 25% conversion efficiency.

An international group led by KAUST is optimizing perovskite assembly for maximum energy generation, focusing on enhancing the mobility of charge carriers.

The Saudi researchers developed a novel P-I-N perovskite setup that improves durability and achieves a 25.63% power conversion efficiency with minimal degradation after 1,000 hours of testing.

KIER has developed semi-transparent perovskite PVs with enhanced durability and efficiency by addressing the issue of high-energy particle damage to the N-layer.

KIER's semi-transparent solar cells are the most efficient transparent perovskite electrodes globally, retaining 99% of their initial efficiency after 240 hours of operation.

CubicPV, backed by Bill Gates, is shifting its focus from conventional mono wafer factories to tandem perovskite cells, indicating a strong belief in the future of perovskites.

CubicPV claims to have addressed perovskite's durability issues through better chemistry and intrinsic material stability, though specific details remain undisclosed.

The global perovskite solar cell market size is projected to grow from $94.8 million in 2022 to around $2.479 billion by 2032, reflecting the promising future of perovskites in the solar industry.

Even if perovskites do not become the next major leap in solar technology, their impressive efficiency ratings ensure they will find a niche in the market.

Transcripts

00:00

Perovskites are often hailed as the nextĀ  big thing for solar panels. Theyā€™re moreĀ Ā 

00:03

efficient than silicon photovoltaics (PVs) couldĀ  ever be, and they have higher yields. However,Ā Ā 

00:09

their fragility and short lifespansĀ  have relegated them to the lab...so far.

00:13

But 2024 is looking to be the year ofĀ  the perovskite. The last few monthsĀ Ā 

00:17

have seen new perovskite researchersĀ  all over the world smashing records,Ā Ā 

00:21

including durability. Because of this, someĀ  of these new perovskites are even set to hitĀ Ā 

00:25

the market this year. Letā€™s check out some of theĀ  most exciting breakthroughs in the field and seeĀ Ā 

00:30

for ourselves if perovskites are finally readyĀ  for their big debut. And why should you care?

00:35

Iā€™m Matt Ferrell ā€¦ welcome to Undecided.Ā 

00:44

This video is brought to you byĀ  Opera, but more on that later.

00:47

It truly feels like weā€™re at the beginning of aĀ  massive paradigm shift for solar. Researchers areĀ Ā 

00:51

breaking so many different perovskite recordsĀ  using such widely varied techniques within theĀ Ā 

00:56

last few months, itā€™s mind blowing. Some teamsĀ  are coming at this from a chemistry angle,Ā Ā 

01:01

trying to engineer tougher perovskites.Ā  Others are looking at the very architectureĀ Ā 

01:05

of a perovskite PV cell, experimenting withĀ  under-studied cell blueprints and achievingĀ Ā 

01:10

surprising results. Then thereā€™s those who areĀ  having those random ā€œeurekaā€ moments that makeĀ Ā 

01:14

for great science stories, when making oneĀ  little change causes everything to fall intoĀ Ā 

01:18

place. There's just so many wild advances allĀ  happening at once. With so many discoveries,Ā Ā 

01:23

it stands to reason that thereā€™s hope forĀ  at least some of them to reach the market.

01:27

Letā€™s back up first, though. What are perovskites?Ā  Weā€™ve talked about them before on the channel,Ā Ā 

01:32

so hereā€™s a quick TL;DR. Theyā€™re a family ofĀ  crystalline materials with the same crystalĀ Ā 

01:36

structure as calcium titanate. CurrentĀ  silicon solar cells only capture aroundĀ Ā 

01:41

20% of usable sunlight, meaning weā€™re leavingĀ  about 80% on the table. Perovskites have theĀ Ā 

01:46

potential to use more of that sunlight,Ā  and many easily break that 20% figure;Ā Ā 

01:51

they might be able to break siliconā€™sĀ  theoretical maximum efficiency of 29%.

01:55

Better yet, they can be ā€œtunedā€ to captureĀ  light from parts of the spectrum that siliconĀ Ā 

02:00

PVs canā€™t touch. This is good on its ownĀ  merits, and it also allows you to VoltronĀ Ā 

02:05

perovskite and silicon layers together to formĀ  ā€œtandemā€ cells that capture much more lightĀ Ā 

02:10

than either could on their own while sharing theĀ  same footprint. To sweeten the deal even further,Ā Ā 

02:15

perovskites are also relativelyĀ  easy to synthesize and produce.

02:19

To give you an idea of just how big of aĀ  deal increasing solar panel efficiency is,Ā Ā 

02:23

we can take a look at my own home as a pointĀ  of comparison. I have REC 400 Watt panels onĀ Ā 

02:28

my house, which have a rated efficiency ofĀ  about 21.6%. With four hours of sun a day,Ā Ā 

02:33

a single REC 400 panel would generate about 576Ā  kWh/year. These are high level calculations andĀ Ā 

02:41

donā€™t take local conditions, inverter hardware,Ā  etc. into account. Upping that efficiencyĀ Ā 

02:46

(with the same exact single panel footprint) toĀ  something like 25% may not sound like a big jump,Ā Ā 

02:52

but would produce about 682 kWh/year. Thatā€™sĀ  a 15% jump in output overall. That would meanĀ Ā 

02:59

instead of needing something like 30 REC panelsĀ  to achieve my energy goals at 21.6% efficiency,Ā Ā 

03:05

Iā€™d only need 25 panels at 25% efficiency.

03:08

So whatā€™s the catch? Cost is usually the issueĀ  with these sorts of things, but not here. BelieveĀ Ā 

03:13

it or not, perovskites arenā€™t prohibitivelyĀ  expensive. In fact, easy manufacturingĀ Ā 

03:17

techniques and widely available materials meanĀ  perovskites can be cheaper than silicon PVs.Ā Ā 

03:23

That means that in my hypothetical example, IĀ  would not only need fewer panels to achieve myĀ Ā 

03:27

goals ā€” theyā€™d theoretically be cheaper per panel,Ā  too. No, the real issue is their durability.

03:33

While theyā€™ve performed very well in labĀ  conditions, perovskite cells degrade very

03:37

quickly out in the real world. Some can see aĀ  capacity dip as large as 80% in two years or less.Ā Ā 

03:44

Compare that to my REC 400 panels with a 25 yearĀ  warranty that guarantees only about an 8% dip byĀ Ā 

03:51

the end of the warranty. Whatā€™s killing perovskiteĀ  cells so fast? Heat, moisture, oxygen, and even UVĀ Ā 

03:58

raysā€¦yā€™know, all the things that a solar panelĀ  is going to have to face day in and day out.

04:03

We canā€™t slather our solar panels in aĀ  nice coat of sunscreen, so the benefitsĀ Ā 

04:07

we mentioned a minute ago are effectivelyĀ  locked behind the durability problem. AndĀ Ā 

04:11

thatā€™s why finding a solution to it has becomeĀ  something like the holy grail of solar tech.Ā Ā 

04:19

That brings us to the big question: has anyoneĀ  made any progress solving this problem, or areĀ Ā 

04:24

perovskites a dead end? And if they are, whatĀ  other pathways are there to solar advancement?

04:30

Well, good news. The UK-based companyĀ  Oxford PV returns to this channel yetĀ Ā 

04:34

again. And this time, theyā€™ve solved theĀ  perovskite durability issue! So what doĀ Ā 

04:38

you think? Jump in the comments and letĀ  meā€¦ no, no Iā€™m kidding, donā€™t click off!

04:41

Now, it is true that Chris Case, Oxford PVā€™sĀ  Chief Technology Officer, told the Wall StreetĀ Ā 

04:46

Journal that the companyā€™s cells are designed toĀ  meet or beat a 25-year life span. Oxford PV saysĀ Ā 

04:52

itā€™s proved this by studying full-size modulesĀ  in outdoor environments for over three years,Ā Ā 

04:57

then used that data to predict long-termĀ  stability. These studies also show thatĀ Ā 

05:00

its best tandem cells lose only aboutĀ  1% efficiency in their first year ofĀ Ā 

05:05

operation and have a very small rate of declineĀ  thereafter. Frustratingly, these results haveĀ Ā 

05:10

yet to be published, though this could be forĀ  proprietary reasons. After all, if youā€™re theĀ Ā 

05:14

only one who cracked the tough perovskite code,Ā  well, thereā€™s going to be a lot of value in that.

05:19

That said, Oxford PV is making definite progress.Ā  Itā€™s teamed up with the Fraunhofer Institute forĀ Ā 

05:24

Solar Energy Systems (FISES) in Germany, whichĀ  recently used Oxford PVā€™s tandem cells toĀ Ā 

05:28

construct a working solar module. FISES justĀ  announced that this module achieved a recordĀ Ā 

05:33

breaking 25% conversion efficiency. Remember whatĀ  that could mean based on my calculations earlier:Ā Ā 

05:39

about a 15% increase in power output over a year.Ā  Now that the efficiency is confirmed, FISES andĀ Ā 

05:46

Oxford PV are working towards certifying thatĀ  all-important longevity stat. To this end, theyā€™reĀ Ā 

05:51

putting the module through a battery of intensiveĀ  long-term stability tests. And while it pays to beĀ Ā 

05:56

skeptical about these sort of breakthroughs,Ā  I should note that Oxford PVā€™s factory inĀ Ā 

06:00

Brandenburg, Germany, is set to begin commercialĀ  production of their tandem solar cells laterĀ Ā 

06:05

this year. So, if all goes according to plan, weĀ  wonā€™t have to wait long to put them to the test.

06:09

They arenā€™t the only group with interestingĀ  progress, but before we get into those it can getĀ Ā 

06:13

a little overwhelming as my team and I researchĀ  these topics. Thereā€™s so much news and researchĀ Ā 

06:17

to sift through that I get lost in my browserĀ  tabs ... a lot. Well, todayā€™s sponsor, Opera,Ā Ā 

06:22

has been a huge help with this. I really loveĀ  using Workspaces to keep personal tabs separateĀ Ā 

06:27

from work tabs when pulling together research.Ā  Itā€™s really easy to flip back and forth betweenĀ Ā 

06:32

those groups. Iā€™ve also really been loving tabĀ  islands, which automatically consolidates relatedĀ Ā 

06:36

tabs together into groups. This one was kindĀ  of an eye opener for me. For instance, as I wasĀ Ā 

06:41

diving between articles on different perovskiteĀ  advancements, Opera automatically keeps thoseĀ Ā 

06:45

tabs together in an island. I donā€™t know aboutĀ  you, but I often get lost in a sea of tabs andĀ Ā 

06:50

this really helps me out. I also really like theĀ  sidebar, which keeps things like my social mediaĀ Ā 

06:55

accounts one quick click away in a nice slide outĀ  window, but the thing Iā€™ve found myself using aĀ Ā 

06:59

lot in the sidebar is Aria. Sometimes I comeĀ  across a paper in another language and can quicklyĀ Ā 

07:04

translate a section of that article with the helpĀ  of Aria. Or ask for a quick summary of an articleĀ Ā 

07:09

to see if Iā€™m heading down the right path quickly.Ā  And finally, I love how easy it is to screenĀ Ā 

07:13

capture a section of a webpage or article, or evenĀ  a full webpage image for use in a Notion ticketĀ Ā 

07:18

for my team to reference later. Opera reallyĀ  has helped me streamline some of my workflow.Ā Ā 

07:23

If youā€™d like to try out Opera for yourself checkĀ  out the link in the description. Thanks to Opera,Ā Ā 

07:27

for supporting the channel. And thanks to allĀ  of you, as well as my patrons, who get early,Ā Ā 

07:30

ad-free versions of my videos. So back to whoĀ  else is making good progress in perovskites.

07:35

In other developments, an internationalĀ  group of scientists led by the King AbdullahĀ Ā 

07:39

University of Science and TechnologyĀ  (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia are taking aĀ Ā 

07:42

different approach to perovskites. RatherĀ  than focusing on making better materials,Ā Ā 

07:46

theyā€™re optimizing how we assemble those materialsĀ  for maximum energy generation and efficiency.

07:51

You see, one of the main limiters of solarĀ  cell efficiency is the mobility of its chargeĀ Ā 

07:55

carriers. Charge carriers are the electronsĀ  and ā€œholesā€ knocked free from their homesĀ Ā 

08:00

inside the cell by incoming solar energy.Ā  The movement of electrons is, by definition,Ā Ā 

08:05

electrical current. ā€œHolesā€ are places whereĀ  an electron could go, so their ā€œmovementā€ isĀ Ā 

08:09

really the movement of electrons as well. It'sĀ  actually these charge carriers that we use toĀ Ā 

08:14

create the flow of electricity, not the sunlightĀ  itself. That's an oversimplification in theĀ Ā 

08:18

interest of time, so if you want to know moreĀ  check out some of my other solar panel videos.

08:23

Anyway, part of what makes perovskites soĀ  efficient is that they allow those chargeĀ Ā 

08:27

carriers more mobility than they get in a siliconĀ  cell. Even still, the majority of these carriersĀ Ā 

08:32

are usually ā€œcapturedā€ by the material theyā€™reĀ  conducting through, or defects within the cell,Ā Ā 

08:37

long before they can reach the electrodesĀ  to be used as electricity. Not great.

08:42

This has led some engineers to add an extraĀ  layer to the cells to help facilitate theĀ Ā 

08:45

capture of those charge carriers. Solar cellsĀ  have a P-layer (home of holes) or the N-layerĀ Ā 

08:51

(home of electrons). The light capturingĀ  ā€œI-layerā€ of perovskite sits between theĀ Ā 

08:56

two layers. This gives us two possibleĀ  types of architecture depending on whichĀ Ā 

09:00

layer you want the sunlight to touch first: theĀ  hole-layer (P-I-N) or the electron-layer (N-I-P).

09:07

Each architectural style has its strengths andĀ  weaknesses, and explaining them all could be itsĀ Ā 

09:11

own video. To keep it brief, the electron-firstĀ  N-I-P style is physically easier to construct,Ā Ā 

09:17

which means it's more common and better-studied.Ā  It also helps that most of the efficiency recordsĀ Ā 

09:22

are currently held by team N-I-P. But recentĀ  research suggests that P-I-N variants are muchĀ Ā 

09:27

more durable than their counterparts, andĀ  some can even match the N-I-Pā€™s efficiency.

09:32

This is where the Saudi researchers are makingĀ  progress. Theyā€™ve developed a novel P-I-N setupĀ Ā 

09:37

with enhanced ligands, thatā€™s the stuff thatĀ  bonds the perovskite to the other layers. ItĀ Ā 

09:42

also acts as a kind of capstone or varnish onĀ  top of the perovskite layer to protect them.Ā Ā 

09:46

The result is a perovskite P-I-N cell with a veryĀ  good power conversion efficiency of 25.63%. AfterĀ Ā 

09:54

1,000 hours of testing in 85 C (about 185Ā  F) temperatures, they only degraded by 5%.

10:01

In yet another recent efficiency andĀ  durability breakthrough, a team ledĀ Ā 

10:05

by scientists from the Korea Institute ofĀ  Energy Research (KIER) have broken recordsĀ Ā 

10:09

for semi-transparent perovskite PVs. TheyĀ  focused on semi-transparent perovskite cells,Ā Ā 

10:14

because they show a lot of promise whenĀ  used in windows and bifacial PVs. Why?

10:19

A solar cell requires electrodes. For mechanicalĀ  reasons, these electrode layers are bestĀ Ā 

10:24

positioned as the outer part of the cells. Itā€™sĀ  like the bread of our solar sandwich. Of course,Ā Ā 

10:29

electrodes arenā€™t perfectly invisible, so theyĀ  tend to block some of the light. As a result,Ā Ā 

10:33

they tend to only end up on one side of theĀ  cell. But what if we could make transparentĀ Ā 

10:38

electrodes? Wellā€¦we can. Theyā€™ve already beenĀ  around for years. So why arenā€™t all PVs equippedĀ Ā 

10:44

with transparent electrodes? Why arenā€™t all ourĀ  windows doubling as perovskite cells right now?

10:49

Hereā€™s the thing: transparent electrodes causeĀ  PV cells to degrade much faster because theyĀ Ā 

10:53

donā€™t screen out high-energy particles that damageĀ  the hole-transportation-slash-N-layer ā€” all thatĀ Ā 

10:59

stuff we talked about earlier. KIER scientistsĀ  fixed it by adding a metal oxide layer to screenĀ Ā 

11:05

out those particles and they foundā€¦ even moreĀ  efficiency and fewer degradation issues?!

11:11

The Energy AI and Computational Science wingĀ  of the KIER team took a look at the dataĀ Ā 

11:15

and discovered that the N-layer was reactingĀ  unexpectedly with the metal oxide. Normally,Ā Ā 

11:20

lithium is added to an N-layer to make it moreĀ  conductive and improve efficiency. Turns outĀ Ā 

11:24

the lithium ions were diffusing into that metalĀ  oxide blocker and making them both less effective.

11:30

However, the KIER scientists found a prettyĀ  elegant solution. Lithium ions already oxidizeĀ Ā 

11:35

into lithium oxide. Previously, the lithium oxideĀ  was assumed to be a harmless byproduct of thisĀ Ā 

11:40

process. The KIER team deliberately converted theĀ  flighty lithium ions into stable lithium oxide,Ā Ā 

11:46

and voila, enhanced durability andĀ  efficiency. Their semi-transparentĀ Ā 

11:50

solar cells hit an efficiency of 21.68%,Ā  making them the most efficient among theĀ Ā 

11:55

transparent perovskites electrodes in theĀ  world. Better yet, they retained 99% ofĀ Ā 

11:59

their initial efficiency after 240 hoursĀ  of operation, and their stability ratingĀ Ā 

12:04

remained at 99% for 400 hours. If youā€™reĀ  curious about transparent solar cells,Ā Ā 

12:08

Iā€™ve got a video that does a deeper dive onĀ  them that Iā€™ll link to in the description.

12:12

But itā€™s not all good news. We need to talkā€¦aboutĀ  CubicPV. The company is backed by Bill Gates,Ā Ā 

12:17

and given his greentech investing record,Ā  itā€™s up to you if that's a good thing orĀ Ā 

12:21

not. Just days after my 2023 solarĀ  panel update video was released,Ā Ā 

12:25

CubicPV announced that, thanks to incentivesĀ  in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),Ā Ā 

12:30

it was going to build a 10 GW conventionalĀ  mono wafer factory. This was set to fillĀ Ā 

12:35

a supply chain gap here in North America andĀ  create an estimated 1,500 green energy jobs.

12:41

Awesome. So whatā€™s the bad news? Well, CubicPVĀ  recently announced that itā€™s shifting to tandemĀ Ā 

12:47

perovskite cells instead, abandoning the waferĀ  factory in the process. Think about that:Ā Ā 

12:52

A major company ran the numbers and was soĀ  confident that perovskite tandem cells wereĀ Ā 

12:56

the future that it abandoned its siliconĀ  wafer plans mid-stream. Surely a promisingĀ Ā 

13:02

sign for the future of perovskites, but definitely not great for the communityĀ Ā 

13:05

that was looking forward to the previousĀ  promise of a bunch of good, green jobs.

13:10

Another thing about CubicPV: itā€™s claimingĀ  to have tackled perovskites durabilityĀ Ā 

13:14

issues through ā€œbetter chemistryā€ andĀ  by ā€œbuilding intrinsic stability intoĀ Ā 

13:18

the material itself.ā€ Thereā€™s no further dataĀ  on how the company is planning on doing this,Ā Ā 

13:23

which doesnā€™t make me very confident. GivenĀ  that theyā€™re working on a proprietary methodĀ Ā 

13:27

to manufacture a lot of perovskite cells inĀ  a fast, cheap, and energy efficient manner,Ā Ā 

13:32

it is possible that CubicPVā€™s perovskiteĀ  chemistry is proprietary too. Great ifĀ Ā 

13:37

it ever comes to fruition, but again, I remainĀ  skeptical until I see some hard evidence.

13:42

So, perovskites remain the solar MacGuffin, butĀ  it does feel like weā€™re making real progressĀ Ā 

13:47

here. If just one of these companiesĀ  has truly solved the durability issue,Ā Ā 

13:50

we could be on the cusp of a solar revolution.Ā  The market certainly seems to think we're on ourĀ Ā 

13:55

way. The global perovskite solar cellĀ  market size was just $94.8 million inĀ Ā 

14:00

2022. Itā€™s expected to balloon to aroundĀ  $2.479 billion by 2032. Even if theseĀ Ā 

14:06

predictions are wrong and theyā€™re not theĀ  next technological leap in the solar sphere,Ā Ā 

14:10

their efficiency ratings are so impressive,Ā  theyā€™ll probably find their niche no matter what.

14:14

But what do you think? Do you think perovskitesĀ  are going to live up to the hype? Would youĀ Ā 

14:18

want them? Jump into the comments and letĀ  me know. Before I go, Iā€™d like to welcomeĀ Ā 

14:21

new Supporter+ patron David Fain. Thanks so muchĀ  for your support. Iā€™ll see you in the next one.

Rate This
ā˜…
ā˜…
ā˜…
ā˜…
ā˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
Perovskite Solar CellsSolar EfficiencyRenewable EnergyGreen TechMaterial ScienceEnergy InnovationSustainabilityTech BreakthroughClimate ActionMarket TrendsResearch Update