the innovative material we will have to order from Russia

Solar panels continue to lead the transition to renewable energy sources, but their efficiency is still limited compared to what we need. A prestigious university has just taken it to the top with impressive figures, but there is a problem: we need a material that only Russia has, and we will have to ask them for it.

The solar panels of the future are already a reality: how they have achieved record efficiency

When it comes to solar panels, efficiency matters. Even a small increase in the percentage of sunlight that gets converted into electricity can make a big difference over the 25+ year lifetime of a solar panel.

Most silicon solar panels on the market today operate at around 20% efficiency. That means 20% of the sunlight that hits the panels gets converted into usable electricity. It’s not bad, but there’s clearly room for improvement.

What if solar panels could achieve double, or even triple, that efficiency? It would enable solar power to become far more cost effective and accelerate the global transition to renewable energy.

Well, an exciting new solar cell material called perovskite has shown incredible potential to dramatically boost solar efficiency beyond anything possible with traditional silicon cells.

With verified lab results over 25% efficiency and predictions of 30% or higher, perovskite solar cells represent a true breakthrough that could reshape the future of solar energy. Do you imagine that?

Perovskite solar panels, a step forward in efficiency: an innovative but familiar material

Perovskite solar cells are a new generation of solar panel technology made from a crystal structure called perovskite. Perovskite refers to a specific chemical composition of calcium titanium oxide (CaTiO3) that was first discovered in the Ural mountains of Russia in 1839.

When used in solar cells, the perovskite structure is typically made from hybrid organic-inorganic lead or tin halide-based materials. These perovskite materials have an ideal crystal structure that makes them highly efficient at absorbing sunlight and converting it into electricity.

Unlike traditional solar panels made of silicon, perovskite solar cells can be printed directly onto surfaces as a liquid ink solution. This makes them thinner, more flexible, and potentially cheaper to manufacture than conventional silicon panels.

Perovskites also work well layered in tandem with silicon, enabling higher efficiency solar panels overall. Research into perovskite photovoltaics has accelerated rapidly over the past decade, with efficiency improvements outpacing any other solar technology.

The record efficiency of perovskite solar panels: here’s what they have achieved

Scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have achieved record conversion efficiencies with perovskite solar cells. In 2022, the NUS team reported a maximum efficiency of 29.15% for a single junction perovskite solar cell.

This achievement demonstrates the rapid pace of improvement for perovskites. Efficiencies have skyrocketed from just 3.8% in 2009 to over 29% in 2022. Perovskites are now on par with silicon solar cells for efficiency.

Further optimizations will likely push perovskites past 30% in the near future. The NUS team’s record efficiency highlights the enormous potential of perovskites to disrupt the solar industry.

If durability challenges can be overcome, perovskites could offer an inexpensive yet highly efficient alternative to traditional silicon panels. The future is bright for these novel solar cells.

Once again, we are surprised by the hidden side of innovation in renewable energies, and that is that perovskite solar panels have just overtaken silicon panels (both monocrystalline and polycrystalline). The key lies in this material which, although we do not have in our country, we hope that one day we will be able to import it normally and without conflict.