Solar technology advancements improve efficiency and reduce costs

Researchers are developing new methods to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar cell technologies. A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has utilized Prussian Blue nanoparticles to stabilize formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite films. This approach achieved efficiencies of up to 26.9% and addressed issues regarding structural instability, defect formation, and ion migration. The use of the Prussian Blue framework helps guide crystallization and preserve electronic homogeneity, supporting the production of large-area modules.

In a separate development, Chinese researchers have created a screen-printed silver-nickel (Ag-Ni) paste designed to reduce rear-side metallization costs for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells by approximately 11%. By partially replacing silver with nickel, the researchers achieved an average cell efficiency of 26.67% in production trials. This innovation aims to mitigate the rising costs of silver, which has become a major expense in solar cell manufacturing due to high demand from the photovoltaic industry.