Creating a Better Solar Cell

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Perovskite cells have only emerged as a viable photovoltaic material over the past two years. The Creating a Better Solar Cell project was the first time a tandem, stacked approach has been attempted with silicon cells on this scale. To increase the efficiency of silicon modules by stacking a thin second cell made of perovskites on top of standard silicon cells.Silicon solar cell costs have decreased rapidly over the past five years as manufacturing has become more refined and production volumes have increased. The cost of starting materials, such as purified silicon chunks, glass sheets, frames, and junction boxes, are becoming a lower portion of total production costs.The key to further reducing costs is to increase the module power by increasing the energy conversion efficiency of the encapsulated cells. This can be achieved through the tandem silicon / perovskite cell being investigated by this project.

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