Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have had a breakthrough in solar cell efficiency that wasn’t expected for another decade! The new developments could drastically reduce the cost of manufacturing solar panels while still increasing the efficiency.
The advancement comes in the silicon part of each silicon solar cell. Simply put, it involves using hydrogen atoms to address defects in the silicon cells. This means, lower grade (and cheaper) silicon can be used to make the solar wafers and still perform the same as better quality materials. According to Stuart Wenham, head of the university’s ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence, the lower grade materials will even outperform current higher quality materials. He said that the process makes cheap silicon “actually better than the best-quality material people are using at the moment.”
Silicon wafers make up over half of the cost of making a solar cell. Being able to reduce manufacturing costs of these silicon cells while maintaining the integrity and increasing efficiency, is a major breakthrough that many in the industry are very excited about. The process raises cell efficiencies from on average, around 17%-19% to around 21%-23%.
Many European producers say that the cost of solar will be 60% cheaper by 2020. Dr Wenham said, “Based on the technological advances we’re making, we think that’s certainly achievable.”
As many as eight commercial firms have signed up to be a partner in developing this new technology and producing it on a large scale. The UNSW are seeking support from the Federal Governments Australian Renewable Energy Agency to provide part of the funding to get the process commercialised. The funding will be around $5 million per year for a period of three years, totalling about $15 million.
Dr Wenham has made a significant mark on the solar pv industry over his three decade career. His accomplishments include the development of the buried contact solar cell as well as thin-film crystalline silicon on glass technology.
With this advancement such as this coming a long way ahead of its time, the potential of solar power is endless!