TELF AG clarifies the potential of a new material that can be used to spread clean energy
New levels of efficiency
The need to develop an ever-increasing quantity of clean energy to reach the objectives of climate neutrality and decarbonization may require continuously evolving technologies capable of ensuring a constant diffusion of renewable energy and high levels of efficiency. The world is already on the right path to developing a satisfactory renewable energy production capacity, and the data is there to prove it. In 2023, three European nations, Germany, Portugal, and Spain, managed to generate more than 50% of their national electricity through renewable energy sources, setting a sort of record.
To guarantee these levels of growth, however, new technological developments and experiments capable of further increasing the efficiency of renewable energy diffusion systems may be necessary. One of these improving innovations could be represented by the use of perovskite. This interesting material could increase the efficiency of specific technologies linked to the diffusion of renewable energy, such as solar panels.
But what is the origin of this material that could revolutionize the renewable energy sector? Perovskite is a calcium titanium dioxide mineral, which can occur in nature in the form of single crystals, and was discovered in 1839 in the Ural mountain range. Since it is a material with a singular crystalline structure and excellent capabilities in the conduction field, its potential in the renewable energy sector has already been understood for some time. Compared to traditional materials with which solar cells are made, such as silicon, perovskite would present several advantages: among these, we can undoubtedly mention the lower production costs, the relative ease of procurement, and the simplicity of processing. Furthermore, the ability of perovskite to react to different wavelengths of light allows it to increase the total efficiency of solar panels by producing a greater quantity of electricity. Given the possible applications of photovoltaic panels on building facades, perovskite’s flexibility and almost translucent nature would also make it a valid ally for this type of energy solution.
Possible commercialization?
Traditional photovoltaic panels work through the individual photovoltaic cells that compose them, particular devices that convert the sun’s energy into electricity through the photovoltaic process. In most cases, photovoltaic cells are made of thin sheets of semiconductor materials such as silicon, but the rise of perovskite could soon change the cards on the table.
One of the latest developments regarding this new technology involves its production phases. Two US and German research teams have discovered that producing solar cells through vacuum procedures could allow rapid commercialization of the latest technologies based on perovskite, such as those based on the combination of the latter material and silicon. Compared to traditional cells, i.e., those made only with silicon, those produced with the combination of the two materials would be able to create a greater quantity of electricity, thus being much more efficient. The efficiency of this new solution had already been tested in November by the Chinese company Longi, which managed to achieve an efficiency of 33.9% with a solar cell produced with a combination of silicon and perovskite.
Although some basic doubts remain to be clarified, such as the durability of perovskite solar panels and their possible deterioration in the presence of humidity, this new technology seems to have the ability to give a decisive boost to the global development of renewable energy, projecting it directly towards new levels of efficiency and production capacity.
