The World's Most Efficient Solar Module: A More Practical Post |Online

The world's most efficient solar module: a more practical record

Most of the solar cells are from China.However, research and production continue in Germany.Is anything else possible?

Falling records are not unusual in the world of photovoltaics.By incorporating new materials and technology, the limits of mass-produced silicon PV modules can sometimes be greatly exceeded.But what achieves the best results in laboratories and research facilities still has a long way to go before one day it will produce electricity in significant quantities on rooftops, balconies or as car park roofs.A report from Freiburg's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) is now making people sit up and take notice.The "world's most efficient solar module" has just been developed there, it was announced this week.But what does that mean?

In 2023, ISE produced silicon gallium cellulose with an efficiency of 36.1%, a world record.And 34.2% is the number of Freiburg researchers who are happy now - although this new number is lower than the previous one.And scientists are also happy with the second module, which got 31.3%.But there is one key difference here: not individual cells, but modules receive record values and classes they provide.

The two new tandem models are designed for different application scenarios – and not just in the laboratory.In both cases, they are III-V modules – meaning used cell groups – in which the shortcomings of conventional solar cells are compensated by a multilayer construction and materials from the main groups III and V.Electricity is generated from different wavelengths in the upper material band.Fraunhofer ISE has been researching such cells for over 40 years, and the limits of high efficiency have been exceeded time and time again.But whether the records will reach the market depends on the technology and scale of production.

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Because they are more expensive than normal solar cells.Cell arrays have long been used where energy efficiency is more important than cost, such as in space, for example in satellite solar cells.Gallium and germanium often play a role in these expensive materials.Especially when compared to the silicon that is often used today.But tandem cells can do this too.And they still provide efficient storage.Germanium is a slightly more powerful variant.Both are attractive technological routes for integrated PV applications wherever space is limited,” says Andreas Bett, Head of the Freiburg Institute.

Research findings should actually be used

Together with industrial companies from Europe, the participating scientists were able to develop their new modules with money from the Federal Ministry of Research.What has already been established outside the Earth can now, with a few adjustments, generate electricity closer to the Earth's surface." In the case of the Germanium III-V module from the "Right of Way" project, the recording elements are already large and the manufacturing processes of the module are close to serial production," says Laura Stevens about the status of her project.This module achieves an efficiency of 34.2 percent, and the structure of the glass surface has been further optimized using nanoimprint.

ISE itself uses the same equipment as the industry, which simplifies the transfer.The module materials and processes are industry standard, i.e. in line with those already used for space solar cells.So there is no difference in the actual cost to integrate the module compared to the previous module.And something else plays a role, Stevens explains: the module containing the structural glass and solar cells was developed and manufactured in Germany.

The future is more open to the silicon version."The III-V on silicon builds a bridge between the most modern and high-tech products from space research," explains Jonas de Rose, but the combination of the two technologies is not easy.The success of the Freiburg scientists now: the small serial production of this cell - 218 square centimeters, size 31.3% efficiency, 2023 The next important step for technology was to set records in the room with 36.1% which.

"For industrial implementation, the interface between two semiconductors must be further developed," said the ISE researchers.The knowledge required for this is available in Germany.by ISE or combined through additional lenses can provide benefits such that the additional cost is worth it.

There must be some space

Above all, there is a growing need for more cost-effective yet highly efficient and robust modules for space travel.With the boom in smaller satellites, manufacturers fear the expansion of the mass business.Former Telefunken subsidiary Azur Space, which is now part of the Canadian group 5N Plus and has been producing solar cells for extraterrestrial applications since the first German Azur satellite, participated in the Germanium module research project.

This time, the real breakthrough of the ISE researchers is not primarily in achieving higher levels of efficiency with their tandem III-V modules - but also in taking a significant step towards production.Whether or not these modules will actually be available to the public cannot be reliably predicted.And whether it will be made in Germany or in Europe is even less important.