The base that supports solar panels is undergoing rapid, game-changing developments. The breakthrough is highlighted by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, a German scientific institution renowned for advances in new materials. Its latest results push the efficiency of solar cells to levels never seen before, signaling wide-ranging impact across energy, industry, and research.
The remarkable milestone came from a tandem structure that combines a perovskite layer with silicon. This pairing achieved an efficiency of 32.5%, a figure that stands in stark contrast to typical conversion rates and marks a substantial jump from the historical average. Today, the average efficiency of solar-to-electric conversion hovers around 15%, while the record before this leap hovered in the low 20s.
A global race is underway among leading laboratories to push photovoltaic performance higher and deliver more electricity from the same amount of sunlight. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin had previously reported 29.8% efficiency with a textured nanotopography, building momentum in the field. In the same period, researchers from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne in Switzerland boosted the podium with a 31.3% achievement on a similar platform, underscoring a competitive surge in perovskite-silicon tandem technology.
In recent weeks, German researchers at HZB regained the lead with the silicon-perovskite tandem that yielded 32.5%, the highest level reported to date on their site.
an unexpected breakthrough
“This marks a major advance that could not have been foreseen a few months ago,” noted a professor from HZB, who described the team as working together with energy and passion toward this milestone. The achievement was validated by ESTI, a European testing establishment based in Italy, which assesses the cell’s efficiency.
The core of the breakthrough lies in the properties of a modified interface in perovskite. Team members examined the material in detail to understand and reduce efficiency losses. Subsequently, they designed tandem cells with improved optical performance, enabling higher overall efficiency.
In practice, two distinct cells are stacked, with the perovskite layer on top. Ultra-thin interlayers between the two maximize light absorption while minimizing electrical losses.
“The promise of this perovskite/silicon tandem is exciting because it points toward a reliable, sustainable energy supply,” explained a representative from HZB.
The Scientific Director of HZB, Bernd Rech, emphasizes: “The efficiency of the HZB tandem cells now reaches 32.5 percent, a level once found mainly in expensive III/V semiconductors. The recent gains by EPFL and HZB are clearly visible in the latest data from credible testing sources.” These developments are supported by independent validation programs and energy research networks.
Reference overview: an official summary from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin details the findings and ongoing work.
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