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Monolithic integration of a perovskite solar cell and silicon solar cell into a tandem device is a promising path toward high-performance photovoltaics (PVs) at affordable cost. However, with a maximum theoretical PCE of 29.4% (7), practical performance limits for a single-junction silicon PV (a solar cell made from a silicon wafer as light absorber) are in sight. INSIGHTS One way to increase the efficiency of a solar cell is to optimize it to the wide spectrum of sunlight for conversion into electricity. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the target of achieving sustained global growth in photovoltaics (PV) of 25 percent per year over the decade of 2023-40. PVs exceeded a global installed capacity, but despite considerable growth and cost reduction over time, PV is yet a small part of global electricity generation, and the opportunity is getting reduced to take action at scale to cut greenhouse gas emissions while meeting global energy needs for the future.

If perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) are to be commercialized, they must achieve long-term stability, which is usually assessed with accelerated degradation tests. One of the persistent obstacles for PSCs has been successfully passing the damp-heat test (85°C and 85% relative humidity), which is the standard for verifying the stability of commercial photovoltaic (PV) modules. We fabricated damp heat-stable PSCs by tailoring the dimensional fragments of two-dimensional perovskite layers formed at room temperature with oleylammonium iodide molecules; these layers passivate the perovskite surface at the electron-selective contact. The resulting inverted PSCs deliver a 24.3% PCE and retain >95% of their initial value after >1000 hours at damp-heat test conditions, thereby meeting one of the critical industrial stability standards for PV modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the progress of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells towards commercialization, highlighting advances in laboratory-scale performance, various device configurations, and the challenges of scaling up the manufacturing process. It emphasizes the need for improving stability, addressing material and sustainability considerations, and conducting rigorous testing to ensure the commercial viability and bankability of perovskite/silicon tandem technologies.

The article focuses on the growth of solar energy and photovoltaic (PV) systems. It states that it is expected that PV capacity will reach the terawatt (TW) scale by 2023 and by 2030 may be generating between three and 10 TW of PV. It mentions costs per watt for PV systems has reached 25 cents as of the end of 2018 and is cost competitive with fossil fuel electricity generation. It comments on energy storage innovations and the decrease in the price of lithium-ion batteries from 2010 to 2018.