Perovskite & Tandem
Commercialisation progress and challenges of perovskites
Articles
- 35% in the Lab, but Does the Math Work Outdoors? Unpacking Current Mismatch in Perovskite/Silicon TandemsA two-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem only works at its best when the top and bottom cells deliver exactly the same current, yet the outdoor spectrum shifts from morning to evening and from sunny to overcast. We ran the numbers with a spectral model - the lower the sun, the sooner the top cell becomes the bottleneck; under diffuse, cloudy light, it's the bottom cell's turn. Recent research puts the bill at 0.8%-3.3% less energy per watt but still roughly 9%-11% more energy per square metre. The real risk is not mismatch itself, but a matching point tuned at STC that doesn't fit the local spectrum, temperature and albedo.
- A 1.95 eV Perovskite Hits 16.5% Certified — How Should We Read “Passing IEC 61215 at the Cell Level”?ACS Energy Letters reports a 1.95 eV ultra-wide-bandgap perovskite at 16.5% certified efficiency and 95% retention after 206 thermal cycles. How to read “passing IEC 61215 at the cell level” versus module reliability.
- The New York Times Says Tandem Cells Could Help the US Catch China in Solar. We Doubt ItOn 5 October The New York Times reported that US solar manufacturers hope to catch China with "a big leap" to perovskite/silicon tandem modules. We take the race apart along five dimensions (certification, efficiency, shipments, production lines and bottom cells), and use reliability, cost per watt and supply chains to show that tandems are the next generation, but the "US breakthrough, China chased" story does not hold up.