Panasonic Corp. has achieved the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency of 16.09% for a perovskite solar module – one that utilizes lightweight technology, a glass substrate and a large-area coating method based on inkjet printing.
Creation of the module was carried out as part of the project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which is working on the “Development of Technologies to Reduce Power Generation Costs for High-Performance and High-Reliability Photovoltaic Power Generation” to promote the widespread adoption of solar power generation.
The large-area, lightweight and high-conversion efficiency module is capable of solar power generation in locations where conventional solar panels are difficult to install, such as façades. These crystalline silicon solar cells have found markets in Japan in the mega-solar, residential, factory and public facilities sectors. To secure a place in these highly competitive markets, it is crucial to make solar modules lighter and larger.
Perovskite solar cells have a structural advantage, as their thickness is only one-hundredth of crystalline silicon solar cells. As each layer can be coated onto the substrates directly, they can produce cheaper energy compared to conventional technology.
Panasonic developed this lightweight technology using glass substrates and a large-area coating method based on the inkjet method applied to the substrate of a perovskite solar cell module. By improving perovskite layer materials, Panasonic aims to achieve high efficiency comparable to that of crystalline silicon solar cells and establish technologies for practical application in new markets.
Photo: Panasonic’s perovskite solar module.
