The Perovskite-Info newsletter (October 18, 2022)

Researchers from Zhejiang Energy Group R&D and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have reported what they say is "the first monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem featuring an industrially applicable front-side-nanostructured black silicon with a tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon)".

The TOPCon together with the surface reconstruction of black silicon contributes to the high-level surface passivation without sacrificing the broadband light trapping. Additionally, the reconstructed nanotexture significantly facilitates the wetting of perovskite and acts as a nanoconfining scaffold to guide the vertical growth of perovskite.

Korean PV company Hanwha Q Cells reportedly aims to mass-produce perovskite-based tandem cells by June 2026.

According to Hanwha Q Cells, its researchers in Germany have collaborated with Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, to develop tandem cells using both perovskite and silicon, which is regarded as an intermediary step to developing cells using perovskite only.

Scientists from the University of Warsaw, Poland-based Military University of Technology, CNR Nanotec, the University of Southampton and the University of Iceland have designed a new photonic system with electrically tuned topological features, constructed of perovskites and liquid crystals. The new system can be used to create efficient light sources.

"We noticed that two-dimensional perovskites are very stable at room temperature, have high exciton binding energy and high quantum efficiency", said PhD student Karolina Lempicka-Mirek from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, the first author of the publication. The team explained that these special properties can be used in the construction of efficient and unconventional light sources. 

Chinese perovskite solar PV company Wuxi UtmoLight Technology recently achieved 18.2% power conversion efficiency for an in-house developed large-scale perovskite solar module with an area of 756 cm², as reports suggest.

UtmoLight refers to this as a breakthrough in large size perovskite module technology after having reported the same 18.2% efficiency for a smaller size module with 300 cm² dimension in the past. This shows the module can maintain a high conversion efficiency despite the enlargement of the module area. Mass production of this technology is now becoming mature, it added.

Toray Engineering says that it will ship a slot-die coater to a new perovskite PV production line. The shipment is scheduled by the end of 2022, or in early (Q1)2023. The new coater can handle subsrates up to 1 meter In size, which will enable the world's largest size perovskite PV production line. Products to be manufactured on this line will include BIPV and roof mounted panels, with an annual production capacity of 100 MW.

Toray Engineering has been supplying slot-die coaters and many other process and inspection tools worldwide for the display, semiconductor, and LiB industries. Having two solutions available in slot-die coating, which are Roll to Roll (R2R) and sheet-to-sheet, Toray Engineering is the a leader in slot die equipment supply with a sales record of over 1,000 units.

The perovskite industry is rapidly moving towards commercialization and mass production. Here are some recent and popular news that you may find of interest:

• Wuxi UtmoLight announces 18.2% efficiency for large area perovskite solar module
• Hanwha Q Cells plans to mass-produce perovskite tandem cells by 2026
• Solliance team breaks 30% efficiency barrier for a 4T silicon-perovskite tandem device
• Researchers create optical fibers made from single-crystal organometallic perovskite
• Researchers fabricate flexible roll-to-roll perovskite solar cells with 16.7% efficiency
• Researchers achieve 31.25% efficiency for tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell
• Stores in Poland use perovskite shelf labels and blinds by Saule technologies
• Researchers use perovskites to design more environmentally friendly air conditioners
• DaZheng announces commercialization of large flexible perovskite solar panels
• NREL team highlights the potential of perovskites for renewable hydrogen production
• When will perovskite solar panels hit the market?
• TENG+Perovskite solar cell generates electricity from both sunlight and falling raindrops
• Oxford PV completes build-out of its Brandenburg factory
• JinkoSolar announces a 30% perovskite cell technology platform
• Saule Technologies launches its production line of perovskite solar panels