Scalable Solar Cells Reach 26.4% Efficiency

• This breakthrough in SHJ solar cell technology could revolutionize solar power: Researchers have developed cells with record-breaking power-conversion efficiencies of up to 26.4%, using cost-effective fabrication techniques for large-scale deployment. Let's make solar power a reality!

Researchers have developed silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells with record-breaking power-conversion efficiencies of up to 26.4%. These solar cells are fabricated using scalable deposition techniques, which are more affordable and enable large-scale deployment of SHJ technology. The fabrication process used wet-chemical processes on commercial M6-size (274.5 cm2) n-type silicon (Cz) wafers and PECVD to deposit layers of intrinsic a-Si:H passivation, nc-SiOx:H, and nc-Si:H. The researchers also replaced silver electrodes with plated copper electrodes, which minimized shading losses and reduced contact resistivity and bulk resistivity. The cost-effective fabrication of these SHJ solar cells could enable them to be used in real-world settings and could pave the way for other researchers to develop similar photovoltaic technologies.

What Are the Benefits of the Record-Breaking SHJ Solar Cells?

• SHJ solar cells offer an efficient and cost-effective way to produce renewable energy.
• The record-breaking power-conversion efficiencies of up to 26.4% make these solar cells highly efficient.
• The use of plated copper electrodes and wet-chemical processes in the fabrication process enabled the cells to be produced at a lower cost and with fewer shading losses.
• The scalable deposition techniques used in the fabrication process allow for large-scale production of SHJ cells, which could lead to a greater availability of renewable energy.
• The cost-effectiveness of SHJ solar cells could open the door for other researchers to develop similar technologies and could make them viable for use in real-world settings.