Scaling Reliable, Next-Generation Perovskite Solar Cell Modules

Hybrid halide perovskite materials emerged onto the photovoltaic (PV) research scene in 2009 and have since exploded in international research efforts, producing a meteoric rise in perovskite solar-to-electricity power conversion to rival that of silicon solar cells. Perovskite solar cells operate by combining an inorganic ion framework that creates an electronic structure for photovoltaics with organic ions. The nature of the perovskites allows synthesis of the cells at temperatures at or above 212°F (100°C) and manufacturing that can be as easy as printing a newspaper. Perovskite solar cells thus far, however, have not been stable under operating conditions for more than a few months – a far cry from the decades of durability provided by current commercial PV technologies. 

This project advances technologies that stabilize perovskite PVs at the absorber, cell, and module levels to ensure robust reliability while enabling manufacturability. A large-area, scalable electrosynthesis approach for specific elements of the perovskite-based solar cells is explored. Research is also advanced into the chemistry of the current conducting layers that make contact with the perovskites. The project also evaluated large-area single-layer graphene synthesis and its use as an environmental barrier layer, produced by Californiabased startup and project partner GrollTex, Inc. To demonstrate the breakthrough advances in solar cell efficiency and reliability achieved, perovskite solar cell modules were fabricated at small scales and tested under laboratory conditions. Modules were also tested in an outdoor installation at a rooftop research facility at the University of California, San Diego.