Perovskite solar modules provide numerous benefits. They are lightweight, highly efficient, easily scalable, and at the same time inexpensive and easy to produce. However, their commercial use still faces challenges. During production, toxic solvents are used to dissolve the perovskite crystals, which are then processed into so-called perovskite inks. These inks can be printed, applied or sprayed on like paint. However, when applied to large surfaces, quality fluctuations occur. Consequently, the novel PV modules have limited operational stability.
Industrial-scale manufacturing of perovskite modules
“Our study addresses these challenges,” says Prof. Michael Saliba, who co-authored the publication and is the head of the Institute for Photovoltaics (ipv) at the University of Stuttgart. “We have successfully demonstrated how the large-scale production of high-performance perovskite PV modules can be carried out in an environmentally friendly, reliable way and under ambient air conditions.”
The perovskite experts have not only developed a new environmentally friendly solvent that is compatible with ambient conditions: “We were also able to develop a process that allows us to apply the “green” perovskite ink evenly and precisely, preventing irregularities in the perovskite layer and thus avoiding a reduction in efficiency,” explains Prof. Haire Tan, researcher at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at Nanjing University.
Environmentally friendly manufacturing with maximum performance
“This allows us to manufacture perovskite PV modules in an environmentally friendly way, maximize the performance of the entire module, and ensure its reliable long-term operation,” explains Saliba, whose team tested the produced modules on outdoor test facilities on the roofs of the Institute for Photovoltaics.
The new system makes it possible to produce perovskite photovoltaic modules with an area of 7,200 square centimeters, achieving an efficiency of 17.2% under constant operating conditions while meeting all quality and reliability standards. The findings have been published in Science (“Improved solvent systems for commercially viable perovskite photovoltaic modules”).
