Silicon solar modules represent over 95% of global installed PV capacity with one challenger, Perovskite solar cells
SILICON SOLAR CELLS ARE LEADING THE MARKET | COMPETITIVE MARKET FOR NEWCOMERS | SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OF THE EFFICIENCY |
The rapid increase in overall photovoltaic electricity production has been facilitated by the declining cost of silicon-based solar cells [29].
| Due to its technological maturity, its prominence in the microelectronics industry and its cheap cost, Silicon based technology is a difficult supply chain to challenge.
| During the last decade, solar PV has seen a substantial improvement in efficiency: from 16% in 2010 to 22% in 2021. The efficiency value of silicon solar cell is moving towards the maximum achievable limit of 29.2% [29] |
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New concepts are being developed to overcome the physical limitations of silicon cells (efficiency, weight and intermittency)
CONCENTRATED PV | TANDEM PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS | LIGHTWEIGHT PV | THERMORADIATIVE PHOTOVOLTAICS |
- Integration of tiny, highly efficient, multi-junction cells on top of standard silicon panels.
- Use of micro-lenses and micro-trackers to track the sun’s position.
- Measured efficiency of 29%.[32] [33] [34]
| - Layer of perovskites absorb only the high-energy blue end of the spectrum that silicon cells are unable to capture [29].
| - Weight: 1-10 kg/m2 as opposed to 12- 15kg/m² for standard PV.
- Encompasses several technologies: organic PV, Silicon, CiGS etc.
- Different approaches exist such as replacing the glass with lightweight polymers. [16]
| - [35] proposes a “night time photovoltaic cell” that uses the earth as a heat source and the night sky as a heat sink.
- [36] demonstrated a similar device that can produce 25mW/m² (for 150 W/m2 for silicon) at night using a thermoelectric module that radiates heat towards the extreme cold of space. Description of the concept [37]
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Comparison of new concepts and materials
CONCENTRATED PV | TANDEM PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS | LIGHTWEIGHT PV | THERMORADIATIVE PV |
Advantages: | Advantages: | Advantages: | Advantages: |
- Assembly of technological mature bricks in an innovative module giving concentrated PV a higher module efficiency than tandem perovskite/silicon modules [34]
- Increasing efficiency decreases the environmental footprint of PV
- Micro-tracking allows for a flattened production curve [34]
| - High efficiency allowing the efficiency limit of silicon to be exceeded [40]
- High and tunable spectral performances [41]
- Intensive R&D activity which accelerates the development [43]
| - Possible implementation of PV on unused areas/surfaces that require lightweight or flexible PV [16]
- Already commercially available [16]
- High-cost reduction potential due to innovative manufacturing such as roll-to-roll [16]
| - Possible production of electricity during nighttime [35] [36]
- PV cells could be combined with thermoradiative cells [35]
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Challenges:
- Complex technology inducing an overpricing and possible reliability issues [34]
- Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) offers high efficiency, but competitive prices must be maintained on an industrial scale [34][38]
- Gallium is listed as a critical raw material by the European Commission [39]
| Challenges:
- Maturity not yet reached, problems with stability over the lifetime of the modules (degradation can be caused by environmental conditions) [40] [43]
- Retaining high efficiencies on an industrial scale and module size with competitive prices [40[43][42]
- Presence of lead in the best-performing perovskite cells might require a specific recycling process [40] [44]
| Challenges:
- Efficiency is currently lower than conventional PV modules.
- Adapting the best existing efficiencies to lightweight manufacturing processes [45]
- €/Wp costs are still higher than standard PV [16]
| Challenges:
- New technology still in early research phase with a low TRL (1-3)
- Due to a lack of maturity, several different concepts currently exist [35][36]
- The demonstrated power production remains low (25mW/m²) [36]
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Several companies and research labs are aiming to develop the future PV technology*
Bibliography
[29] Cherradi N., 2019. Solar PV technologies what’s next?, Becquerel Institute, Brussels, Belgium
[30] International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics (ITRPV) roadmap 2020
[31] ENGIE Renewables Global Business Line RENEWABLES TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP 2025 and beyond
[32] PV-magazine.com, 2019. Swiss researchers claim 29% efficiency for residential CPV panel.
[33] HYPERION Project - Panels with embedded lenses to revolutionize PV industry.
[34] Nardin G. et al., 2020. Industrialization of hybrid Si/III–V and translucent planar micro-tracking modules. Progress in Photovoltaïcs Res Appl., 29:819–834. <10.1002/pip.3387>
[35] Deppe et al., 2020. Nighttime Photovoltaic Cells: Electrical Power Generation by Optically Coupling with Deep Space” ACS Photonics, 7, 1?9.
[36] Raman A. P. et al., 2019. Generating Light from Darkness. Joule 3, 2679–2686.
[37] Tervo A. J. et al., 2020. Solar Thermoradiative-Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. Cell Reports Physical Science, 1-12.
[38] Horowitz K. A. W. et al., 2018. A Techno-Economic Analysis and Cost Reduction Roadmap for III-V Solar Cells. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL/TP-6A20-72103.
[39] EU Publications, 2020. Study on the EU's list of Critical Raw Materials.
[40] Oberbeck L. et al., 2020. IPVF's PV technology vision for 2030. Prog Photovolt Res Appl., 28: 1207– 1214.
[41] Kulkarni S. et al., 2014. Band-gap tuning of lead halide perovskites using a sequential deposition process. J. Mater. Chem. A. 2.
[42] Li Z. et al., 2018. Scalable fabrication of perovskite solar cells. Nat Rev Mater 3, 18017.
[43] Messmer C. et al., 2020. The race for the best silicon bottom cell: Efficiency and cost evaluation of perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells. Prog Photovolt Res Appl., 1– 16.
[44] Qi Z. et al., 2018. Perovskite solar cells: must lead be replaced - and can it be done?. Sci Technol Adv Mater.19(1):425-442.
[45] pv-magazine-australia.com, 2021. Sunday read: Unlocking lightweight, flex applications.
[46] Oxford PV, 2020. Oxford PV hits new world record for solar cell.
[47] PV-magazine.com, 2021. Solliance hits 28.7% efficiency on perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell.
[48] Solliance.eu, 2021. World record efficiency of 26,5% on a tandem solar cell based on a flexible CIGS solar cell: The architecture combines two thin-films solar cell technologies.
[49] PV-magazine.com, 2020. The world’s sunniest PV testing field.
[50] PV-magazine.com, 2017. ENGIE teaming with Heliatek to install HeliaSol lightweight technology at French school.
[51] PV-magazine.fr, 2020. Le CEA-INES et Enel Green Power annoncent un rendement de 25 % pour une cellule solaire à hétérojonction.
[52] PV-magazine.com, 2019. Hanergy hits 25.11% efficiency with HJT cell.
[53]PV-magazine.com, 2020. Panasonic claims 16.09% efficiency for lightweight perovskite solar module.
[54] ENGIE, 2021. Q1 Results and Strategic Update, 18 May 2021
