Perovskite/silicon tandem photovoltaics: Technological disruption without business disruption

Christina Kamaraki, Matthew T. Klug, Thomas Green, Laura Miranda Perez, Christopher Case

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

23 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Meeting the ambitious challenge of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and holding the average increase in global temperature below 1.5 °C necessitate the upscaling of readily available renewable energy sources, especially solar photovoltaics. Since the window of time to achieve this goal is closing fast, it is of paramount importance that we accelerate the decarbonization of the global energy system by increasing the power output of solar cells through advancing their power conversion efficiencies toward and beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit. In this Perspective, we describe how the integration of perovskites into the well-established silicon production infrastructure to form perovskite/silicon tandem photovoltaics can raise the rate of solar deployment. We present a holistic analysis of the technology from different perspectives, such as materials science, manufacturing, sustainability, and business, which highlights how the pairing of perovskite and silicon is advantageous at many different levels of consideration. Altogether, perovskite/silicon tandems deliver a technological disruption in efficiency while maintaining compatibility with the present photovoltaics industry, making it the fastest route to enhance the silicon market and rapidly address climate change.

Original languageEnglish
Article number070501
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume119
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Aug 2021

Funding

C.K. would like to acknowledge funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Program for funding Research and Innovation under Grant Agreement No. 764787 (MAESTRO). All of the authors are employees at Oxford Photovoltaics, Ltd.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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