UNSW and UtmoLight set efficiency record for perovskite solar submodules

Engineers from UNSW Sydney, in collaboration with the China-based company UtmoLight, have established a new efficiency benchmark for large-scale perovskite solar submodules. The team achieved a certified stabilized power conversion efficiency of 23.5 percent for a 676cm² submodule (30cm x 30cm).

This achievement is notable because it narrows the efficiency gap between large-area modules and the much smaller 1cm² cells typically used in laboratory settings. To reach this result, the researchers removed the nickel oxide layer commonly used in perovskite cells to prevent chemical reactions that cause instability. Instead, they utilized a new fabrication approach where a hole-selective contact forms directly during the process.

Lead researcher Xiaojing Hao stated that the goal is to develop materials and device concepts that maintain performance when translated from laboratory scales to industrially relevant areas. The team aims to produce a full-scale module with an area of 2.8m² in the coming months, targeting an efficiency of approximately 18% to 19%.