Researchers have actually set a new effectiveness world record for CIGS solar batteries at 23.64 percent, highlighting the capacity of CIGS technology in advancing solar power efficiency and dependability. This achievement marks a considerable advance in the quest for more effective and cost-effective solar energy solutions.Uppsala University has actually set a brand-new world record in the generation of electrical energy from CIGS solar cells, accomplishing an efficiency rate of 23.64%. This accomplishment was verified by an independent institute and the findings have actually been published in the respected journal, Nature Energy.The record results from a cooperation between the company First Solar European Technology Center (previously understood as Evolar) and solar cell scientists at Uppsala University.” The measurements that we have actually made ourselves for this solar cell and other solar batteries produced just recently are within the margin of mistake for the independent measurement. That measurement will likewise be used for an internal calibration of our own measurement techniques,” says Marika Edoff, Professor of Solar Cell Technology at Uppsala University, who is responsible for the study.Marika Edoff, Professor and Head of the Division for Solar Cell Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University. Credit: Mikael WallerstedtThe previous world record was 23.35 percent (Solar Frontier, Japan), preceded by 22.9 percent (ZSW, Germany). Uppsala University has actually held the record before, the first time being in the 1990s in the research collaboration Euro-CIS.” At one time we likewise held the record for a series-connected model. Even though its rather a long time considering that we held the cell record, weve frequently been simply behind the best outcomes and naturally, there are lots of relevant elements to consider, such as the capacity for scaling up to a massive procedure, where we have always been at the leading edge,” Edoff says.The Global Impact of Solar CellsSolar cells are increasing rapidly worldwide and solar power represented just over 6 percent of electricity around the world in 2022 according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The very best solar modules of crystalline silicon, which is the most widely utilized material in solar cells, currently transform more than 22 percent of sunlight to electric power and contemporary solar cells are both steady and low-cost in the long term.One target in solar cell research is to achieve more than 30 percent effectiveness with sensible production costs. The focus is very often on tandem solar batteries, as being more effective, but so far they have been too costly for massive use.The world record of 23.64 percent has actually been determined by the independent institute Fraunhofer ISE in Germany. The academic paper presents a thorough product and electrical analysis of the solar cell in addition to a comparison with previous records for the very same kind of solar battery from other research study institutions.The image reveals a cross-section of the active layers in the thin-film solar cell, with an overall thickness of no more than 3 micrometers. Using nano-XRF measured at limit IV facility in Lund, it is possible to measure the concentration of both matrix aspects and micronutrient (in this case rubidium) in the solar battery with high accuracy. Credit: Marika EdoffA solar cells most important residential or commercial properties are the ability to soak up light and the ability to carry energy to an electrical load. For this to prosper, the product must have the ability to soak up an ideal portion of sunshine while preventing squandering this energy by converting it into heat within the solar cell.CIGS solar cells consist of a glass sheet made from regular window glass that has actually been covered with several different layers, each of which has a specific task. The product that takes in the sunlight consists of copper, gallium, selenide, and indium (hence the acronym CIGS), with additions of silver and salt. This layer is positioned in the real solar cell, between a back contact of metal molybdenum and a transparent front contact. To make the solar cell as effective as possible in separating out electrons, the CIGS layer is treated with rubidium fluoride. The balance between the two alkali metals, salt and rubidium, and the composition of the CIGS layer are crucial to the conversion efficiency, i.e. the share of the complete solar spectrum that is converted to electric power in the solar cell.When measurement institutes conduct their tests, they measure the solar battery effectiveness utilizing filtered light that mimics the sun in both strength and spectrum. Throughout measurement, the solar cell is kept at a regulated temperature level and the independent institutes routinely send calibration solar cells to one another. To be registered as a world record, an independent measurement is required, which in this case was carried out by the measurement institute Fraunhofer ISE.Technological Advancements and Future Prospects” Our research study demonstrates that CIGS thin-film technology is a competitive option as a stand-alone solar cell. The innovation likewise has properties that can operate in other contexts, such as the bottom cell of a tandem solar battery,” Edoff says.Several advanced measurement methods have actually been used to further comprehend the connection in between the effectiveness and the solar battery structure: product from the solar battery has been defined by nano-XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy) at the MAX IV facility in Lund, where a mindful compositional analysis has been made. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at high resolution has actually been utilized to study cross areas of the solar cell, both structure as a function of depth and how the crystal grains are developed, along with the user interfaces in between the layers. Using photoluminescence, the spectrum of the light discharged by the solar battery after excitation by a laser has been studied as a means to understand how well the solar battery takes care of electrons internally. A solar battery that shines vibrantly has a lower share of internal heat losses than a solar battery that shines faintly. Electrical measurement techniques have been utilized to analyze the doping of the CIGS product. ” The reality that we now hold the world record means a lot for both Uppsala University and First Solar European Technology Center. For the CIGS technology, which is known for high dependability, a world record also suggests that it might offer a viable alternative for new applications in e.g. tandem solar cells. This is necessary for our research study coworkers around the world. We hope that the analyses of the material and electric properties will offer a basis for additional enhancements in efficiency,” Edoff concludes.Reference: “High-concentration silver alloying and high back-contact gallium grading making it possible for copper indium gallium selenide solar battery with 23.6% effectiveness” by Jan Keller, Klara Kiselman, Olivier Donzel-Gargand, Natalia M. Martin, Melike Babucci, Olle Lundberg, Erik Wallin, Lars Stolt and Marika Edoff, 19 February 2024, Nature Energy.DOI: 10.1038/ s41560-024-01472-3.
” The measurements that we have actually made ourselves for this solar cell and other solar cells produced recently are within the margin of error for the independent measurement. The finest solar modules of crystalline silicon, which is the most widely used material in solar cells, currently transform more than 22 percent of sunlight to electrical power and contemporary solar cells are both inexpensive and steady in the long term.One target in solar cell research study is to attain more than 30 percent effectiveness with reasonable production costs. The scholarly paper provides a thorough material and electrical analysis of the solar cell as well as a contrast with previous records for the very same type of solar cell from other research study institutions.The image reveals a cross-section of the active layers in the thin-film solar cell, with an overall thickness of no more than 3 micrometers. The balance in between the two alkali metals, salt and rubidium, and the structure of the CIGS layer are crucial to the conversion performance, i.e. the share of the total solar spectrum that is converted to electrical power in the solar cell.When measurement institutes conduct their tests, they measure the solar cell effectiveness using filtered light that imitates the sun in both strength and spectrum. The innovation likewise has residential or commercial properties that can operate in other contexts, such as the bottom cell of a tandem solar cell,” Edoff says.Several advanced measurement methods have actually been utilized to even more comprehend the correlation in between the efficiency and the solar cell structure: product from the solar cell has actually been identified by nano-XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy) at the MAX IV facility in Lund, where a cautious compositional analysis has been made.
