Hanwha Qcells, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Corp has set a world record for tandem solar cell efficiency. The company’s innovative M10-sized cell, featuring a perovskite-silicon structure, reached an impressive efficiency of 28.6%. This incredible output surpasses the 27% efficiency of crystalline silicon cells and the 21% typical of standard commercial solar panels. They achieved this milestone just one year after starting large-scale tandem development, promising project size and cost reduction.Danielle Merfeld, Global CTO at Hanwha Qcells.“The tandem cell technology developed at Hanwha Qcells will accelerate the commercialization process of this technology and, ultimately, deliver a great leap forward in photovoltaic performance,” said “We are committed to advancing the next generation of solar energy efficiency and will keep investing significantly in research and development to drive progress in this field, as every kilowatt counts on the path to building a more sustainable future.” Hanwha Qcells Redefines Solar EfficiencyThe press release mentioned that the R&D team began groundwork in 2016 to develop a commercially feasible tandem solar cell using perovskite top-cell technology and Hanwha Qcells flagship silicon bottom-cell technology. Eventually, in 2019, the solar giant launched an advanced research center in Pangyo, Korea that would complement their well-established R&D hub in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. After achieving success with small-area tandem cells, the focus shifted to large-area designs that finally culminated in the record-breaking 28.6% tandem solar cell efficiency.Designing the Future of SolarThe certified record was verified by the CalLab at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE). The high efficiency comes from an innovative design that pairs a perovskite-based top cell with Hanwha Qcells’ proprietary Q.ANTUM silicon bottom-cell technology.This measurement, taken on a full-area M10-sized cell (approximately 0.36 square feet or 330.56 cm²) used a standard industrial silicon wafer that could be interconnected into an industrial module. The tandem technology stacks a perovskite top cell and a silicon bottom cell to optimize energy capture. Simplifying the technique, the top cell absorbs high-energy light while low-energy light passes through to the bottom cell to maximize power output per module.So, what’s the advantage? Well, fewer panels generate the same power, which further reduces costs and land use for solar projects.Significantly, Hanwha Qcells developed this tandem technology with commercial manufacturing in mind. They are focused on going beyond lab-scale demonstrations. With their scalable processes and tools, the company is all geared up for the next generation of efficient, cost-effective solar energy solutions.Thus, this milestone moves the solar industry closer to the widespread commercialization of more powerful and affordable solar technology.Robert Bauer,
Sab. Dic 28th, 2024
