Stay updated on the latest tech news with our free weekly IndyTech newsletter. A new world record for converting sunlight into electricity has been set, which researchers claim is a significant boost for renewable energy.
Researchers at Longi, the world’s largest solar panel manufacturer, achieved a power conversion efficiency of 34.6 percent using a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell, surpassing the previous record by 0.7 percent. This new record is more than 7 percent more efficient than the record for a standard silicon solar cell, commonly used in commercial solar panels.
Perovskite has been hailed as a ‘miracle material’ for its potential to enhance batteries, telecommunications, and renewable energy. With traditional silicon solar panels reaching their limits, researchers are turning to next-generation tandem cells to better capture solar energy. Perovskite-silicon cells have a theoretical efficiency limit of 43 percent, far exceeding the 29 percent limit of standard silicon cells.
The groundbreaking record marks a series of achievements from Longi, which has broken the world record for solar cell efficiency 16 times in the last three years. The announcement was made at the 17th International Solar Photovoltaic and Smart Energy Conference (SNEC) in Shanghai, China, where a landmark agreement was also revealed to transform global energy through a partnership with Saudi energy firm ACWA Power.
Longi attributed the new record to optimization of the thin film deposition process of the electron transport layer, use of high-efficiency defect passivation materials, and designing high-quality interfacial passivation structures. While no further details were provided, Longi, along with other companies, is in the process of commercializing this technology.
In Germany
