• Energy Research

The solar spectra in outdoor installations is very seldom equal to that under standard test conditions. This points to the importance of measuring, analyzing and understanding the implications of solar spectra variations with respect to the performance of solar cells. In this work, we present and analyze one year of sun spectra measured at two different angles in central Europe, where the spectrometers were installed at the optimum inclination angle and in vertical orientation, the latter being relevant for building integrated photovoltaics. We report for the first time the differences between the two inclination angles in terms of key performance indicators, such as average photon energy, blue fraction and spectral factor. Moreover, we show the impact of these spectral changes on the maximum current density of ideal single junction and tandem devices in tilted and vertical orientations. Red shifted solar spectra were more often found at the vertical installation in comparison to the optimum installation angle, which translated into up to 30 lower current mismatch losses in idealized tandem devices throughout the year

We propose a new approach for assessing the lifetimes of perovskite photovoltaics based on daily energy output which accounts for reversible diurnal changes.

For the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), detection of associated degradation mechanisms and mitigation of their effect is of paramount importance. The former requires outdoor and indoor stability tests to detect these mechanisms under real operation conditions and to accelerate them under controlled environments. Herein, the thermomechanical stability of encapsulated PSCs in outdoor tests at three locations coupled with indoor thermal cycling tests is investigated. Results show that encapsulant‐induced partial delamination can occur in outdoor and indoor tests, leading to disruption in device integrity and substantial loss in the cell active area and short‐circuit current. The findings suggest that delamination involves C60 and SnO2 layers as the mechanically weakest point in the device stack. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first demonstration of delamination in encapsulated PSCs under real operation conditions. While partial delamination emerged on some of the cells exposed in Israel and Cyprus in just a few weeks, it did not occur in Germany over 2.5 years of outdoor exposure. This highlights the importance of multiclimate outdoor testing to validate the significance of failure modes observed through accelerated indoor testing.

Abstract Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent one of the most promising emerging photovoltaic technologies due to their high power conversion efficiency. However, despite the huge progress made not only in terms of the efficiency achieved, but also fundamental understanding of the relevant physics of the devices and issues which affect their efficiency and stability, there are still unresolved problems and obstacles on the path toward commercialization of this promising technology. In this roadmap, we aim to provide a concise and up to date summary of outstanding issues and challenges, and the progress made toward addressing these issues. While the format of this article is not meant to be a comprehensive review of the topic, it provides a collection of the viewpoints of the experts in the field, which covers a broad range of topics related to PSC commercialization, including those relevant for manufacturing (scaling up, different types of devices), operation and stability (various factors), and environmental issues (in particular the use of lead). We hope that the article will provide a useful resource for researchers in the field and that it will facilitate discussions and move forward toward addressing the outstanding challenges in this fast-developing field.

Understanding degradation mechanisms in halide perovskite solar cells is the key aspect to achieve a breakthrough in photovoltaics.