Oxford PV has started the commercialization of its tandem solar technology with the company’s first shipment to a U.S.-based customer.
The 72-cell panels, comprised of Oxford PV’s perovskite-on-silicon solar cells, can produce 20% more energy than a standard silicon panel, the company says. The panels are slated to be used in a utility-scale installation, with the hope of reducing the levelized cost of electricity and contributing to more efficient land use by generating more electricity from the same area.
This development marks the first commercial deployment of a perovskite tandem solar panel worldwide, says Oxford PV. The company has been developing and working to commercialize this technology since 2014, with a recent module efficiency record of 26.9%.
The first Oxford PV panels available on the market have a 24.5% module efficiency. The panels are powered by perovskite-on-silicon cells produced at Oxford PV’s megawatt-scale pilot line in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany.
“The commercialisation of this technology is a breakthrough for the energy industry,” says David Ward, CEO of Oxford PV. “High-efficiency technologies are the future of the solar industry, and that future is starting now.”