What are the advantages of perovskite solar cells?
Compared to crystalline silicon, perovskite solar cells have three core advantages: high photovoltaic conversion efficiency, abundant and easy-to-synthesize materials, and short production process, with a wide range of potential applications.
High photovoltaic conversion efficiency
The theoretical maximum efficiency for single-junction crystalline silicon solar cells is around 29%, whereas the theoretical efficiency for single-junction perovskite solar cells can reach 31%. Perovskite tandem solar cells, including silicon/perovskite double-junction cells, can achieve conversion efficiencies of up to 35%, and perovskite triple-junction cells can theoretically exceed 45%. For this reason, perovskite solar cells are considered a promising candidate for the next-generation mainstream photovoltaic technology.
Abundant and easy-to-synthesize materials
The basic material for crystalline silicon solar cells is polycrystalline silicon, which requires significant energy consumption to purify raw silicon. In contrast, perovskite solar cells do not require silicon material. The raw materials needed for making metal halide perovskites are abundant, inexpensive, and the precursor solution preparation involves no complex processes and has low purity requirements. Additionally, the processing environment for subsequent components is less demanding, with no need for the high temperatures (around 1000°C) required for crystalline silicon cells. The energy consumption during production is relatively low, and most steps do not require a vacuum environment. Currently, the largest portion of the cost structure for perovskite modules is the electrode material, which accounts for 37%, while the cost of the perovskite material itself is only 5%. Therefore, there is still significant room for cost reduction in perovskite modules.
Short production process
Crystalline silicon solar cells generally require four production stages: silicon material, silicon wafers, cells, and modules, taking at least 3 days to complete. In contrast, the production process for perovskite solar cells is simple and can turn glass, adhesive film, target materials, and chemical raw materials into finished modules within 45 minutes in a single factory. This significantly shortens the industrial chain and concentrates value.
Wide range of applications
Perovskite materials are lightweight, flexible, and have high performance in low-light conditions, giving them a wide range of potential applications. These include building-integrated photovoltaics, power-generating curtain walls, power-generating stone materials, rooftop photovoltaics, mobile devices and electronic products, networked sensors, and more. As technology advances, the range of applications for perovskite solar cells holds enormous potential.
This concludes the introduction to the advantages of perovskite solar cells, provided by Hengyuantai.