Thanks to the development of new renewable energy technologies and huge investments in equipment upgrades around the world, we are seeing new innovations in traditional green energy sources. Solar panels are becoming more efficient, capable of producing power even when the sun is not shining, and wind turbines are becoming more powerful. This shows that renewable energy projects are not static, technology can evolve and the production of solar or wind energy may not be the same in 50 years. It also suggests that efficiency will improve with increased funding for green energy research and development.
Most solar panels use a silicon semiconductor compound to convert sunlight into electricity, with a maximum efficiency of 29 percent. But the researchers believe that incorporating a second perovskite layer into the silicon layer would greatly improve this efficiency. Perovskite is extremely versatile, with a variety of industrial applications including ultrasound machines, memory chips, and now solar panels.
Current solar technology is believed to be nearing maximum efficiency and new innovations are needed if power companies hope to improve efficiency. Typical efficiency levels for solar panels are below 30 percent, which is below what is needed to meet the world's climate goals. However, the researchers now believe that incorporating a perovskite layer into the design could help improve this efficiency. The silicon layer absorbs electrons from red light, while the perovskite absorbs blue light, helping the two layers work together.
The discovery comes after more than a decade of research to improve the efficiency of solar cells. Scientists believe that silicon perovskite solar cell technology could be commercialized within 5 years. Stefan de Wolf, a professor at KAUST University in Saudi Arabia, recently achieved an efficiency of 33.7 percent with the tandem technology and is awaiting publication of the results in a scientific journal. De Wolfe said: “This is a breakthrough year... It's exciting to see things progress so quickly with different teams. "Exceeding the 30 percent threshold gives confidence that low-cost, high-performance PV can make it to the market," he added. "He stressed the need to rapidly increase global solar power capacity, bringing total capacity to around 75 TW by 2050 to avoid risks associated with global warming," he said.
Other groups have also found success with silicon-perovskite tandem technology. Steve Albrecht of the Helmholtz Center for Materials and Energy in Berlin, Germany, recently announced that the efficiency is above 30, reaching 32.5 percent. Meanwhile, Jin Yu Chin's research team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne has demonstrated an efficiency level of 31.25 percent, which is much higher than previously measured with the technology.
In June, China's largest solar panel maker, Longji, announced that it had achieved 33.5 percent efficiency in a laboratory and now plans to scale up the new panels from experimental conditions (1 square cm) to commercial conditions. Characteristics of the level (15 cm square). "Improving cell conversion efficiency and reducing power consumption is the eternal theme of the development of the photovoltaic industry," said Li Zhenguo, president of Longyi. He is optimistic about the potential for commercial development of this technology. Since April 2021, the company has broken the world record for solar cell efficiency 14 times in recent years, demonstrating the rapid development of solar technology and the potential for future innovation.
Based on the efficiency levels of solar panel technologies on the market, scientists estimate that the rate of solar power deployment needs to increase tenfold to solve the climate crisis. However, if solar panels can be made more efficient by combining the two technologies, the cost of solar power is expected to drop and allow for accelerated deployment of the technology. Companies can also build projects in smaller areas for solar panel efficiencies or generate more electricity in the same area as existing solar farms.
China, Europe and the US are rapidly expanding their markets for solar energy. In its 2022 report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said it expects total growth in global renewable energy capacity to double over the next five years, making coal the largest source of electricity generation. He also pointed out several ways in which different regions can quickly develop their green energy potential. He points out that solar PV and offshore wind are the cheapest renewable energy sources for new electricity generation. In addition, global solar PV capacity will triple between 2022 and 2027, making it the world's largest source of electricity. Together, wind and solar power are expected to account for more than 90 percent of all renewable energy added in the next five years, and the use of new technologies could further increase that number.
Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
More popular Oilprice.com content:
- Westerners are losing control of China's auto market due to the rise of domestic automakers.
- The Lapis Lazuli Corridor opens up new business opportunities for Eurasia.
- China's steel sector is under increasing pressure due to falling prices.
Read this article on OilPrice.com
This story originally appeared on Oilprice.com
