Qcells reported that it has achieved a new world record, with an efficiency of 28.6% on a full-area M10 tandem solar cell that can be scaled up for mass production. The efficiency measurement was carried out independently by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab.
“The tandem cell technology developed at Qcells will accelerate the commercialization process of this technology and ultimately deliver a quantum leap in photovoltaic performance,” said Danielle Merfeld, Global CTO at Qcells. “We are committed to advancing the next generation of solar energy efficiency and will continue to invest significantly in research and development to drive progress in this area as every kilowatt counts on the path to building a more sustainable future.”
Qcells’ new record in tandem solar efficiency is based on perovskite technology of the top cell and proprietary Q.ANTUM silicon technology of the bottom cell. The value is a measurement of the total area of a full-area M10 cell produced on Qcells’ R&D pilot line in Germany, using a standard industrial silicon wafer that can be connected into an industrial module. This approach to tandem development focuses on commercial processes and tools that can easily be scaled up to mass production, rather than attempting to demonstrate proof of concept in a laboratory-scale environment.
Qcells’ stacking of a perovskite-top solar cell and a silicon-bottom solar cell to form a tandem cell improves performance by capturing high-energy light more efficiently through the top cell, while allowing low-energy light to pass and be captured by the bottom cell. This improves the power per area and therefore fewer modules are needed to achieve the same solar system power. This breakthrough has the potential to further reduce the cost of solar energy as well as the land footprint required for solar projects, making solar energy even more affordable, accessible and sustainable.
Qcells’ R&D teams have been working since 2016 to develop a commercially viable tandem solar cell based on perovskite top cell technology and Qcell’s proprietary silicon bottom cell technology. In 2019, Qcells significantly increased its efforts to realize the next-generation solar product at the company’s R&D base in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, and by launching a dedicated research center in Pangyo, Korea. After a series of R&D achievements in the development of highly efficient small-area tandem solar cells, Qcells has shifted its focus to the development of large-area tandems, leading to this new world record efficiency of a tandem solar cell.
The Bitterfeld-Wolfen R&D center in Germany is supported by funding from the German government, the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the EU Commission, including the lighthouse project PEPPERONI, together with the Dutch and Swiss governments. The work leading to this tandem cell performance with record efficiency has been partly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the State of Saxony-Anhalt and the EU Commission. Appointed as a research institute for national projects, Qcells’ Pangyo R&D Center has received continued support from the Korean government to develop commercially viable tandem cell technology.
“We are fortunate to have excellent global R&D teams and have received invaluable support from our partners in Europe and Korea, tapping into their resources and expertise. We deeply appreciate everyone who is committed to driving innovations that bring us closer to achieving our climate goals,” said Danielle Merfeld, Global CTO at Qcells.
“Qcells is pleased to announce this new world record in tandem cell efficiency, based on our in-house developed perovskite technology as the top cell and the cost-efficient Q.ANTUM silicon technology as the bottom cell. The champion cell is a typical cell from our R&D pilot line in Germany and is manufactured using only processes suitable for mass production. This result lays the foundation for the future commercialization of this exciting technology,” said Robert Bauer, Head of Qcells R&D in Germany.
News item from Qcells
