Perovskite Tandem Solar Will Start Taking Solar to 43% Energy Conversion

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Oxford Photovoltaic is building the world’s first volume manufacturing line for perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells.

Oxford is working with leading photovoltaic equipment supplier, Meyer Burger. They will install a silicon heterojunction solar cell line, enhanced with production equipment for the perovskite top cell. The fully integrated line will be built at an industrial site in Germany and will start production in 2021 at what will be about a 200 MW/year plant.

In 2019, Oxford PV raised £31 Million in the first close of its Series D funding round.

In November, 2020, Oxford PV was awarded €8.8 million from a German regional government, Brandenburg Ministry of Economics, as part of the EU’s Regional Development Program. Oxford PV is investing €44 million in the expansion of its manufacturing facility in Brandenburg an der Havel, where the company has been based since the end of 2016.

Why Perovskite Photovoltaics?

* Enhances the 100 GW photovoltaic industry
When built on top of conventional silicon solar cells, the resulting tandem cells can break through the silicon photovoltaic performance barrier

* High photovoltaic performance
A perovskite-on-silicon tandem cell has a theoretical efficiency limit of 43% vs 29% for silicon cells.

* Wide adjustable bandgap
Ability to capture specific parts of the solar spectrum, particularly at the high energy blue end and convert it into electricity.

SOURCES – Oxford PV
Written by Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com

14 thoughts on “Perovskite Tandem Solar Will Start Taking Solar to 43% Energy Conversion”

  1. That's about a 25% increase in efficiency which reduces racks, inverters, wiring, install labor, etc. Those balance of system costs are >50% of the LCOE of a solar installation now. So, back of the envelope, if these panels have the same $/W as standard monocrystalline panels the LCOE should fall by ~12.5%.

  2. Although the cost of solar is now being driven by soft costs and installation costs this higher efficiency has many advantages. This technology will be especially useful in areas where space limitations are a big driver. Think row houses in cities and multi-unit buildings with limited roof space.

  3. I didn't initially intend to get solar. But I live in California, and with all the fires and the power companies constantly being sued (and passing on losses to the consumers), and California's push for expensive renewables, my prime electric rate is now 41 cents/KWh (roughly 4 times the national average), and inflating fast. I just couldn't wait anymore.

  6. press release mentionned 27.5% efficiency (compared to 22% standard high quality modules). We dont know the price yet, is there enough advantage commerically speaking to even being able to sell these well?

  7. 35% efficiency cells would have pretty stark implications for the balance of plane costs (fewer racks, inverters, interconnect wires, installation labor, maintenance labor, etc.)

  8. this is one of the hard things about making investments in this sector, so many tech advancements coming out next year or two I may just wait but someone has to make the move or nothing is viable… chicken and egg situation I guess

  10. Some of it is blocked by the atmosphere. Tandem cells have potential to capture that part of the spectrum too for higher output than terrestrial.

  11. "* Wide adjustable bandgap
    Ability to capture specific parts of the solar spectrum, particularly at
    the high energy blue end and convert it into electricity." from the post, BTW

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