Scientists have set a new world record for solar cell efficiency, as high as 32.5%
CTOnews.com, December 22 (Xinhua)-- researchers at the Institute of Solar Cell Technology at the Helmholtz Center (HZB) in Berlin have developed a series solar cell that converts 32.5% of incident solar radiation into electricity, that is, a photoelectric efficiency as high as 32.5%, setting a new world record.
Series solar cells improve the efficiency of solar cells by dividing the spectrum and optimizing each part of the spectrum. According to the HZB announcement, the Italian certification body European Solar Test device (ESTI) tested and officially confirmed the record. In addition, it is also the most efficient of all emerging photovoltaic technologies, according to charts kept and regularly updated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
The illustration above shows a series of solar cells, with the bottom cell made of silicon and the top cell made of peroxide. The top battery uses blue light components, and the bottom battery converts red and near-infrared components in the spectrum. Different thin layers help to make the best use of light and minimize electrical loss.
At present, silicon is the standard material for solar cells, while peroxidase and silicon have been separately developed as semiconductor materials for solar panels. Scientists believe that peroxides have untapped potential, and they experiment by combining them with other materials.
CTOnews.com learned that HZB researchers achieved a record 29.8% solar cell efficiency at the end of 2021, and in the summer of 2022, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lobsang reported a certified solar series cell with a photovoltaic efficiency of 31.3%.
Professor Bernd Rech, scientific director of HZB, said: "the efficiency of HZB series solar cells is 32.5%, which has now reached a range that could only be achieved by expensive III / V semiconductors."
