Oxford PV, a solar energy technology developer, said it has set a new record for producing the world's most efficient solar panels, "marking an important milestone in the transition to green energy."The panels, produced in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), achieve a record conversion efficiency of 25%, significantly improving the typical efficiency of commercial modules of 24%.
With solar energy set to account for three-quarters of the world's renewable energy capacity by 20231, improving the efficiency of solar panels has transformative potential to advance efforts toward an all-electric, net-zero emissions future.
As solar installations accelerate, more efficient solar panels will produce more electricity in the same area, reducing electricity costs and further accelerating the adoption of clean energy.
Oxford PV, a division of the University of Oxford, is a world leader in the development of silicon perovskite tandem solar cells with a theoretical peak efficiency of more than 43%, compared to a silicon peak efficiency of less than 30%. . sunny a cell
Chris Case, chief technology officer at Oxford PV, said: “Our record-breaking solar panels demonstrate that we are on the cusp of the next solar revolution, which will be made possible in part by our tandem cell technology.
“Solar energy is currently one of the most affordable and sustainable sources of energy. Our continued technological advancement will further improve the efficiency of the modules (generating more electricity in the same area) and expand their use across all market sectors, from residential to commercial and utility, he added.
David Ward, CEO of Oxford PV, commented: “This new world record is a significant milestone for Oxford PV as it demonstrates that our tandem solar cells can deliver record-breaking performance when integrated into solar panels.
“This is the first step towards the transformative year 2024, when we will begin shipping market-ready panels from our factory in Germany and continue our global search for new high-volume manufacturing sites that will allow us to bring our technology to market. conventional."
Performance data
Oxford PV silicon perovskite tandem solar panels produce 421W of power in an area of 1.68 square meters, making them the most efficient industrial format silicon perovskite tandem solar module in the world. For the production process, the researchers used the already mass-produced Fraunhofer ISE Module-TEC equipment and optimized the process for tandem technology.
For calibration measurements, CalLab PV modules use a multispectral solar simulator to determine module performance. To provide accurate and reproducible information on the power of the tandem module, the perovskite and silicon cell layers are illuminated with multiple LED light sources that come as close as possible to generating electricity under natural sunlight.
