An HZB research and development team has reached a record efficiency of 29.15% of its tandem solar cell made of perovskite and silicon.

The illustration shows the structure of the tandem solar cell: between the thin perovskite layer (black) and the silicon layer (blue) are functional intermediate layers. © Eike Köhnen/HZB

The groups of Steve Albrecht and Bernd Stannowski have developed the tandem solar cell, which converts 29.15 percent of the incident light into electrical energy. This value is officially certified by the CalLab of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).

A new paper claims that scientists have reached a consensus on the procedures for the testing of perovskite cells, which they say will lead to better reproducibility and comparability of data produced by different laboratories, and ultimately a better understanding of the degradation pathways affecting perovskite solar cells, and the most effective ways to mitigate them.

Perovskites still have a way to go to convince the PV industry of their potential for long term durability. The class of materials’ sensitivity to moisture and other conditions they would be sure to encounter in the field has continued to be a stumbling block.