Solar RRL最新文献

Solar Concentrator

In article number 2400273, Peter Jomo Walla and co-workers developed a highly efficient luminescent solar concentrator with photostable nanoparticles. Pools of nanodots harvest sunlight and funnel it to aligned nanorods, which emit light in distinct directions, greatly reducing reabsorption and escape cone losses.

Herein, a multi-scale simulation approach to quantify the impact of nonuniformities in cell-level performance on the photovoltaic characteristics of monolithically interconnected large-area all-perovskite tandem modules under partial shading conditions is presented, addressing a crucial aspect of the up-scaling challenge for this promising photovoltaic technology. To this end, current–voltage characteristics of small-area all-perovskite tandem solar cells are obtained for dark and illuminated cases from a calibrated optoelectronic device model using drift–diffusion simulation coupled to a quantum transport formalism for the band-to-band tunneling underlying the Zener breakdown. These current–voltage curves are computed for varying density of mobile ions and subsequently used as local 1D coupling laws connecting the 2D electrodes in a quasi-3D large-area finite-element simulation approach that then provides the module characteristics under consideration of spatial variation in active area quality related to mobile ion density. The simulation reveals the appearance of localized current hot spots for the case where the shaded cell is strongly reverse biased.

A multifaceted characterization approach is proposed, aiming to establish a link between nanoscale electrical properties and macroscale device characteristics. Current–voltage (I–V) measurements are combined with admittance spectroscopy (AS) and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) for the analysis of charge-related performance losses with time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry to complete the understanding of ionic motion in the device. This is applied to the study of surface treatment in perovskite solar cells, which implements several strategies to improve band alignment, perovskite grain growth, and chemical passivation. An increase of both open-circuit voltage (V_oc) and fill factor of respectively 90 mV and 11% is shown after surface treatment, with an absolute efficiency increase of 4%. AS measurements, coupled with a lumped elements model, rule out the impact of transport layers as the origin of the performance improvement, rather pointing toward a reduction in ionic resistance in the perovskite bulk. Analysis of the DLTS response yields an activation energy of 0.41 eV, which is likely related to the same ionic mechanism discovered with AS. Finally, both of these techniques enable to show that the surface treatment main contribution is to reduce ion-related recombination of charge carriers.

In applications that utilize detailed solar resource assessments with high-resolution topography data, calculating the topographic horizon is critical for accurate shading calculations. In particular, the horizon calculation significantly influences the time needed to model solar irradiation in integrated photovoltaic applications. The new approximate horizon algorithm was developed to balance accuracy and computation time. This study evaluates the algorithm's performance in modeling vehicle- and building-integrated photovoltaics, considering the impact of surface orientation and elevation. It is demonstrated that the proposed horizon algorithm achieves the same level of accuracy four times faster than previously known approaches for vehicle-integrated applications. Moreover, for building-integrated applications, the proposed approach performs better at elevations higher than 10 m on facades and roofs. Finally, the impact of maximum sampling distance on irradiation for high- and low-resolutions topography is studied.

Defect passivation inside the crystal lattice and the grain-boundary (GB) surface of the perovskite films has become the most effective strategy to suppress the negative impact of the nonradiative recombination in perovskite solar cell. In this study, a unique approach to effectively passivate the defect states of MAPbI₃ perovskite thin film using thionicotinamide (TNM) as a multifunctional Lewis base additive is demonstrated. TNM as an additive with three different types of Lewis base sites, i.e., pyridine, amino, and CS functional groups, is introduced to mitigate the trap states in the TNM-modified perovskite films and thoroughly investigate the passivation defects. The nonbonded electron of the three different Lewis base sites can synergistically passivate the antisite lead (Pb) defects and improve the stability of the device. In addition, the NH₂ group can form ionic bonds with negatively charged I– ions and inhibit ion migration caused by them. It is found that such passivation effect of TNM reduces the GB defects and improves the crystallinity significantly. As a result, a champion TNM-modified device shows an improved power conversion efficiency of 19.26% from 16.86% along with enhanced open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and negligible hysteresis.

The stricter requirements for the energy performance of buildings are creating a market for several building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technologies, including photovoltaic (PV) windows. Herein, an innovative multifunctional PV window concept designed to enhance energy generation while providing overheating protection for better indoor thermal and visual comfort is presented. This concept utilizes bifacial c-Si solar cell strips combined with venetian blinds, all embedded in a unique insulating glazing unit. The bifacial technology increases the energy yield by using the blinds as reflectors, directing more irradiance to the cells’ rear side. The goal of this study is to analyze the outdoor performance of this concept under real operating conditions. Twelve demonstrators are installed and monitored. Various measurement campaigns are conducted, examining the impact of different blind types, tilt angles, sun positions and sky conditions. The highest energy boosts occur when the blinds are fully closed at a 75° angle with their convex side facing outward. Blinds with the highest specular reflectance achieve a maximum performance increase of 25% on sunny days and a daily average increase of 12% compared to the case of no blinds.

Hydrogen energy from water splitting is considered the highly anticipated modern energy resource; however, storage and transportation require complex and high-cost facilities, which argue about the efficiency of hydrogen fuel compared to conventional fuels. Thereby, ammonia (NH₃), which is a liquid at ambient conditions, promises a lower cost of storage and transportation, but the production of ammonia imposes difficulties with selectivity and efficiency over several products and, notably, hydrogen evolution reaction. Among several methods combining the advantages of electrochemical and photocatalytic properties, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) method is destined to improve the efficiency of ammonia production from N₂ reduction reaction (NRR). Because of the multistep NRR process, enormous negative potentials, and poor reaction kinetics, the activity and selectivity of NRR are severely compromised. Therefore, Mo- and Bi-based catalysts are rationally developed to promote the activity and selectivity of NRR processes. Combining the benefits of Mo- and Bi-based catalysts is anticipated to result in highly effective PEC NRR activity. This review is predicted to emphasize the role and characteristics of PEC NRR and the value of Mo and Bi catalysts in raising ammonia's activity and selectivity.

Sb₂(S, Se)₃ is a promising photocathode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar energy to hydrogen due to its excellent optoelectronic properties, stability, and low toxicity. For such applications, a p–i–n device architecture is favorable for efficient charge separation, with the p-type layer improving hole extraction while the n-type layer facilitates electron injection into the electrolyte for hydrogen evolution reaction. However, the lack of suitable p-type layers for depositing a uniform layer of Sb₂(S, Se)₃ photocathode constrains the device architectures for PEC water splitting. In this work, various p-type materials (e.g., NiO, CuS, and CuI) are investigated. Photocathodes fabricated on CuI demonstrate superior performance due to improved hole extraction and uniform growth of Sb₂(S, Se)₃ absorber layer. The Se/S ratio is adjusted to further fine-tune the photocathode's absorption, influencing the efficiency of charge carriers’ injection and separation. The overall PEC performance reaches the maximum value when Se/S = 20%, achieving up to 4.2 mA cm⁻² with stable photocurrents sustained for 120 min under standard illumination conditions, achieving the highest-reported photocurrent among S-rich-solution-processed Sb₂(S, Se)₃ photocathodes. In this work, new avenues are opened for the design of p–i–n Sb₂(S, Se)₃ PEC devices.

Additives are commonly used to increase the performance of metal-halide perovskite solar cells, but detailed information on the origin of the beneficial outcome is often lacking. Herein, the effect of glycine hydrochloride is investigated when used as an additive during solution processing of narrow-bandgap mixed Pb–Sn perovskites. By combining the characterization of the photovoltaic performance and stability under illumination, with determining the quasi-Fermi level splitting, time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC), and morphological and elemental analysis a comprehensive insight is obtained. Glycine hydrochloride is able to retard the oxidation of Sn²⁺ in the precursor solution, and at low concentrations (1–2 mol%) it improves the grain size distribution and crystallization of the perovskite, causing a smoother and more compact layer, reducing non-radiative recombination, and enhancing the lifetime of photogenerated charges. These improve the photovoltaic performance and have a positive effect on stability. By determining the quasi-Fermi level splitting on perovskite layers without and with charge transport layers it is found that glycine hydrochloride primarily improves the bulk of the perovskite layer and does not contribute significantly to passivation of the interfaces of the perovskite with either the hole or electron transport layer (ETL).

Herein, a straightforward vacuum-assisted method is introduced to enhance the stability of nonfullerene organic solar cells (OSCs). The method, termed “prevacuum” involves subjecting the active layer (D18:Y6) to a low-pressure vacuum (−1 bar) before thermal annealing at 100 °C. Compared to untreated devices, prevacuum-treated OSCs exhibit a notable increase in power conversion efficiency from 13.71% to 14.90%. This enhancement is attributed to improved light absorption and charge extraction, as evidenced by external quantum efficiency measurements. Moreover, prevacuum treatment significantly improves device stability under operational conditions, with a 30% power loss occurring after 8.25 h compared to 4.5 h for untreated devices. This improvement is attributed to the removal of volatile components and impurities during the vacuum process, leading to a more hydrophobic and stable active layer. The study demonstrates the efficacy of prevacuum treatment as a simple and accessible method for enhancing the performance and longevity of OSCs, paving the way for their broader application in sustainable energy technologies.