Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have quantified losses in PV‐based solar hydrogen generation systems and have proposed a series of loss-mitigation techniques to improve solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiencies.

The scientists identified STH efficiency as the crucial factor that needs to be improved to reduce the overall costs of PV-powered hydrogen generation. “The U.S. Department of Energy has set a target of 20% STH efficiency by 2020 and an ultimate goal of 25%, to ensure the economic viability of PV‐based solar hydrogen generation for large scale hydrogen production,” they specified, adding that current efficiency levels range from 10-15%.

U.S -based developer of all-perovskite tandem solar cells, Swift Solar, recently announced that it secured more than $8 million in Series Seed 2 funding, with an additional $1.5 million expected to close soon. Altogether, the company has raised more than $16 million in equity financing to date.

The financing round was led by GitLab CEO Sid Sijbrandij and cryptocurrency player James Fickel. Proceeds will be used to expand R&D, develop prototypes and add staff.

Researchers at several UK-based universities have reported a breakthrough in the design of lithium ion batteries that could lead to the next generation of safer more reliable solid-state power cells.

Image from Techxplore, credit Loughborough University

The new work shows how new solid-state materials can be designed to overcome some of their current problems. Tungsten and tellurium based double perovskite materials can be combined and used as the electrode and electrolyte respectively creating more compatible and stable interfaces.

A research team, led by Prof. LIU Shengzhong from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), recently reported high-efficiency perovskite solar cells with imidazolium-based ionic liquid for surface passivation and charge transport.

The quality of perovskite film plays a key role in device performance. Perovskite films are usually prepared by evaporating solvent from the precursor solution. However, defects often occur at the grain boundaries and on the surface during the crystallization process. These defects cause perovskite decomposition and non-radiative recombination, causing negative impacts on device performance. Surface passivation is considered as one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of defects due to its ease of application.

Researchers at the University of Pavia in Italy, along with scientists from CNR-SCITEC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, University of Perugia, Swansea University, and University of Bari, have reported water-stable lead-free perovskite for photocatalysis.

The evidence of water stability in a lead-free metal halide perovskite, namely DMASnBr₃, was obtained by means of diffraction, optical and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

2020 is soon over - and many in the world are really happy about that and hope that 2021 will bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end. The entire world was effected, including the perovskite industry - although we still see a fast pace of research and development.

Here are the top 10 stories posted on Perovskite-Info in 2020, ranked by popularity (i.e. how many people read the story):

1. Q&A with the CEO of perovskite developer Helio Display Materials (Jun 9)
2. Perovskite Solar Panel efficiency, current market status (Apr 14)
3. Japanese company acquires rights to produce 23.26% CIGS perovskite cells (Jan 9)
4. HZB team brings the efficiency of perovskite-silicon tandem cells to 29.15% (Jan 29)
5. Oxford PV hopes to deliver perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells within a year (Apr 7)
6. Japan’s NEDO and Panasonic achieve 16.09% efficiency for large-area perovskite PVs (Feb 9)
7. Perovskite solar cell production line starts operation in east China (Aug 7)
8. Perovskite X-Ray detectors could revolutionize medicine imaging (Apr 11)
9. Saule Technologies partners with Columbus Energy, receives €10 Million investment (Sep 8)
10. New CIGS/perovskite tandem solar cell reaches 24.16% efficiency (Apr 15)

Oxford PV has reached a new efficiency world record for perovskite-silicon tandem cells at 29.52%, passing the previous record set less than a year ago by Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin. The new record has been certified by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The new record was achieved on a cell measuring 1.12cm², produced in a laboratory setting. Oxford PV previously held the tandem cell efficiency record at 27.3%, and then 28%, before a group at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) pushed the record to 29.15% in January 2020. Both Oxford PV and HZB have stated that they have clear roadmaps to push this record beyond 30% in the near future.