Project description
High-efficiency, low-cost multi-junction solar cells
Stacking solar cells one over the other offers a wealth of advantages: sunlight can be converted into electricity more efficiently and the levelised cost of energy is decreased, thereby becoming more competitive compared to that of fossil fuels. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SiPerSol project plans to fabricate a triple-junction solar cell with energy conversion efficiency exceeding 30 % and stable operation for more than 1 000 h under different stress conditions. SiPerSol will improve the state-of-the-art technology by introducing highly efficient, stable, low-band-gap Sn–Pb and high-band-gap I–Br perovskites on a textured silicon heterojunction substrate.
Objective
The global warming and air/water pollution are nowadays alarmingly threatening the life on Earth. Utilizing solar cells (SC) as one of the most effective solution can enormously reduce the fossil fuel consumption, and hence CO2 emission. However, the levelized cost of energy of SCs is still not competitive compared to fossil fuels, an obstacle which can be passed by using tandem SCs, most efficient emerging SC technology for this purpose. Combining mature technology of silicon SCs with amazing properties of perovskite SCs has the great potential to pass the 30% efficiency. The main aim of this interdisciplinary research is to fabricate a triple junction textured silicon heterojunction/alloyed Sn-Pb low band gap perovskite/halide engineered I-Br high band gap perovskite tandem solar cell by two-step evaporation/solution method with efficiency of >30% and stability of >1000 h under different stress conditions. SiPerSol will improve the state-of the-art by introducing the successful fabrication method of highly efficient stable low band gap Sn-Pb as well as high band gap I-Br perovskites on textured silicon heterojunction substrate, two major challenges to realize the mammoth potential of this advanced multilayered device. Moreover, it provides deep insights into the functioning of the interfaces and traps. The project will be conducted by Dr. Mohammad Reza Golobostanfard with years of experience on nanomaterial synthesis, analysis, and solution processing of different SC absorbers with supervision of Prof. Ballif and Dr. Jeangros with strong network from academic and non-academic centres in Switzerland and across Europe and more than 30 years of experience in silicon and perovskite SCs at EPFL (home of emerging SCs), PVLAB (well-equipped laboratory with world-class facilities for silicon and perovskite SCs fabrication and analysis). The project results will entirely benefit European industries and beyond by introducing highly efficient yet stable SCs.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
1015 Lausanne
Switzerland