TELF AG analyzes an innovative solution in the solar panels sector 

The role of perovskite 

The solar panels of the future could be made with materials other than simple silicon. In various corners of the world, ambitious attempts are underway to discover new materials to ensure higher energy efficiency, projecting these precious infrastructures toward a new evolutionary phase. From this point of view, a possible ally could be represented by the mineral known as perovskite, which, combined with traditional silicon, could soon give life to solar panels capable of reaching levels of performance never seen before. 

But what exactly is perovskite? It is a mineral usually sourced in specific deposits in different parts of the globe, from Canada to Northern Europe. For its industrial applications – such as those relating to solar panels – however, its synthesis in the laboratory is necessary in order to achieve that degree of purity and compositional balance that is difficult to find in the raw material. Among this material’s primary properties, we must mention its great ability to absorb light and convert solar energy into electricity, high conductivity, and great chemical and thermal stability. 

It is, therefore, no coincidence that solar panels based on the combination of silicon and perovskite are proving to be much more efficient than traditional ones: a company linked to the University of Oxford, Oxford PV, recently announced that a large residential solar panel, made precisely with silicon and perovskite, would have reached record levels of efficiency, reaching the percentage of 26.9% (traditional panels cannot exceed 23%). The hope is to get a rate of 40% as soon as possible in commercial applications, which could contribute even more evidently to advancing this new solution. From this point of view, the following challenges have to do with the expansion of the target market, with the possibility of also addressing the commercial sectors and those related to public services, in addition to private customers. 

Possible advantages 

Compared to silicon, perovskites are transformed into photovoltaic cells with much lower energy consumption, and they can be recycled without any particular problems. Another advantage is structural and has to do with the light absorption capabilities of this material: perovskites can, in fact, store a much broader spectrum of sunlight, making possible a relevant increase in performance and overall efficiency of the energy infrastructure. 

The use in combination with silicon also limits the natural instability of the perovskite’s organic compounds, which would otherwise tend to degrade easily during actual use. A recent study by Cornell University measured the efficiency of this type of cell, comparing them with those produced with silicon alone or with a combination of perovskites. Considering the entire life cycle of the energy infrastructure – from the sourcing of the mineral to the disposal of the panel – the study demonstrated that the production cycles concerning cells made with perovskites require energy consumption four times lower than those produced in silicon. Furthermore, according to the study’s authors, this last feature would make the question of the duration of these innovative solar panels not particularly problematic.