Scientists report 130% quantum yield in solar energy study
Kyushu University and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz reported a quantum yield of approximately 130% in solar cell research, challenging previous limits on energy extraction from sunlight. This advancement utilizes a process called singlet fission, where a single photon generates two energy carriers, potentially reshaping photovoltaic technology.
The findings, published on March 25 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, suggest a significant breakthrough in solar efficiency. Researchers indicated that this approach could help surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit of about 33% for traditional single-junction silicon solar cells, although the 130% measurement was taken in a solution rather than from an operational solar panel.
“We have two main strategies to break through this limit,” said Yoichi Sasaki, an associate professor at Kyushu University. “One is to convert lower-energy infrared photons into higher-energy visible photons. The other… is to use singlet fission to generate two excitons from a single photon.”
Separately, a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported a power conversion efficiency of 29.76% for all-perovskite tandem solar cells on March 27. The team, led by professors Ge Ziyi and Liu Chang, utilized a colloidal chemistry strategy that achieved an independently certified efficiency of 29.22%. This report was published in Joule.
The all-perovskite device maintained over 90% of its initial efficiency after 700 hours of continuous operation. A 1 cm² version of the device reached an efficiency of 28.87%. These advancements appear amidst a series of improvements in solar efficiency, including a certified 30.02% efficiency for a triple-junction perovskite-silicon cell reported earlier in March.
February saw JinkoSolar achieve a record of 26.66% for an industrial-scale TOPCon cell. While these achievements advance laboratory capabilities, commercial viability remains uncertain. However, experts express optimism regarding the accelerating progress in solar technology.
Kyushu University, located in Japan, has been at the forefront of solar energy research. The innovations in this study represent a potential turning point in efforts to enhance solar cell efficiencies on a practical scale.