A groundbreaking solar cell that combines two advanced materials—perovskite and organic absorbers—has set a new efficiency record of 25.7%.
This innovative development could bring us closer to cleaner energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The achievement was made by a research team led by Dr. Felix Lang from the University of Potsdam, in collaboration with Professors Lei Meng and Yongfang Li from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
Their findings were recently published in Nature.
Tandem solar cells work by layering two materials that absorb different parts of sunlight’s spectrum.
In this case, perovskite captures blue and green light, while an organic material absorbs red and infrared light. This allows the cell to make the most of sunlight, increasing its efficiency.
Traditionally, materials like silicon or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) have been used to absorb red and infrared light. While effective, these materials require high temperatures to produce, leading to a larger carbon footprint.
Dr. Lang’s team took a different approach. They combined perovskite and organic solar cells, both of which can be made at low temperatures, significantly reducing their environmental impact.
The team’s success was due to two major innovations. First, Professors Meng and Li developed a new organic solar cell material that can absorb even more infrared light than existing technologies. This extended the range of light the tandem cell could capture.
Second, the researchers tackled a key challenge with perovskite. When adjusted to absorb only blue and green light, perovskite layers often lose efficiency due to material defects. To solve this, the team added a special passivation layer to the perovskite, which reduced defects and improved the overall performance of the solar cell.
This record-breaking tandem solar cell demonstrates the potential of combining perovskite and organic materials to create highly efficient, low-carbon solar technologies. “Our achievement was only possible by merging these two breakthroughs,” says Dr. Lang.
By offering a more sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional solar cells, this innovation brings us closer to a future powered by clean, renewable energy.
With continued research, tandem solar cells could become a key player in reducing the world’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Source: University of Potsdam.
